the end of my battle: book 3
by flustered dreams
Summary: "IT'S OVER" with the neverseen having been defeated and sophie living life back in the lost cities with her daughter, jellybean, and unborn son, she is trying to convince herself everything is fine. but after her discoveries at charing cross station, zophie believes her battle isn't quite over and the neverseen left her... a little surprise. ( THIRD BOOK IN THE TYH SERIES )
1. Something's Very Wrong

**I'M BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK.**

 **YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY.**

 **Also, was going through my reviews on _To The Stars, For You, I'll Reach_ , (because they make me smile, so!) and was reminded of how one of ma' girls, Mysterious M, changed her name to M&M for me. I don't know if I ever thanked you :)**

 **Love ya, my M &M! Stay sweet ;)**

 _ **This chapter is dedicated with much love to you, my readers.**_

 _ **I would be nothing without you!**_

* * *

SOPHIE LAY ON HER BACK, RESTING ON A COT IN THE HEALING CENTER.

Elwin was checking over her and Kenric, her unborn baby boy.

Keefe stood beside her, holding Elizabeth, their daughter, in his arms. She was about five and a half months, now, Sophie in her five-month-range with Kenric.

"What if I did create them?" Sophie asked both Elwin and Keefe.

She had been chatting to them about her experience in the underground part of Charing Cross with the odd creatures she'd run into. They had said she was their, 'mother'.

Sophie shuddered at the memory and Elwin looked at her, worriedly. She waved him off. "I'm fine."

Keefe took one arm out from under Elizabeth and placed it on Sophie's shoulder, giving her the only answer he had.

 _I'm not sure._

No one was. Not anymore.

Elwin was muttering things incoherently to himself, checking over her abdomen with his glasses and stethoscope, alongside various other weird tools Sophie didn't recognize. They were definitely elvin.

Sophie's mind was still wandering.

They had defeated the Neverseen.

Yippee!

But... was there a new threat on the horizon? The Neverseen's final attack? Their revenge?

It was like they had planned to be defeated. It seemed too... easy.

Sophie barely caught Elwin's green-looking face. "What?"

He straightened and ran his hand through his hair. "I... don't know."

"What?" Sophie asked, sitting up. Keefe grabbed her hand. "Elwin, what are you not telling me?"

Keefe passed Jellybean to Sophie.

She giggled at the sight of her mother and tried to reach her nose with her fingers, to grab onto it. Sophie sent her a quick smile and kissed her forehead, then turned back to Elwin. "Please tell me."

He was pacing back and forth, muttering more things to himself. It sounded like calculations. He finally turned to her and Keefe. "I don't know. But something is very wrong."

Keefe and Sophie exchanged a look.

* * *

 **Jumping right in with the drama! Yaaaaaaaay. :)**

 **Sorry for the really bad, really short first chapter :(**


	2. You Shouldn't Be Running!

SOPHIE PLAYED WITH JELLYBEAN ON THE BED IN HER AND KEEFE'S ROOM AT EVERGLEN.

She playfully tickled her and tried to help her crawl around.

Keefe was in the shower, again, and Sandor was in the room.

He smiled when Jellybean waved at him. "Hello."

Sophie grinned at Sandor. "Aww. She can melt the coldest of hearts."

"I am not cold!"

Sophie giggled and picked up Elizabeth in her arms, right as Keefe came out of the bathroom. His hair was wet, making the blonde locks on his head turn dirty-blonde. He was wearing some pajama pants covered with the batman logo. He came over and wrapped an arm around Sophie's waist, then he kissed Jellybean on the head.

Sophie noted that Keefe's hair, temporarily and currently, looked like Jellybean's. Her white-blonde hair was looking like it was changing to a dirty-blonde, like wet sand.

"Gigantor, everyone knows you're cold."

"Watch it, Mr. Sencen. I don't care if Miss Foster cares for you. You watch your mouth."

"Whoa! Easy."

Sophie giggled, a memory surfacing. "Remember that time when you had temporarily joined the Neverseen?"

Keefe nodded.

 **(LODESTAR SPOILER!)** "Well, I remember a time when I was talking to Sandor about his love-life and he said he was a 'specimen in his species'."

Keefe snapped his fingers and Sophie giggled more. "Oh, yeah! Specimen Sandor!"

Sandor shook his head, annoyed. "Well, I remember Grady and your talk about boys, where you denied having feelings for him. And where are we now?"

Keefe placed his hands on his hips and looked at Sophie, who blushed, madly and tried to hide behind Elizabeth.

"Don't try to hide behind our daughter, Soph. You _denied_ having feelings for me when you were crushing _hard."_ he teased.

 _"No._ Off my case." She playfully swatted at him.

Keefe chuckled. "Alright, alright." **(SPOILER OVER!)**

Keefe stooped down a little and patted Sophie's lower abdomen. "How ya doin' in there?" he whispered.

Sophie smiled when Jellybean squealed.

"What?" Keefe asked, standing and taking her itty-bitty hand. "Jealous? There's enough of me to go around."

Sophie scoffed, rolled her eyes and swatted at him.

Keefe laughed. "Gosh! You too? Man, I've got a busy schedule. The Keefester has to share himself between two girls _and_ a little _unborn_ boy. Dang, people love me."

Sophie ruffled his wet hair, making it stand up in spikes. "Don't get too big of a head."

"Ha! So you admit you love me!"

"First, never denied it. Second, I've already told you I love you."

"My memory does not recall of this."

"Does not recall? I'll show you does not recall!"

Sophie walked over and handed Elizabeth to Sandor. "Hold my precious."

"Aren't I your pre- ah!" Keefe exclaimed when Sophie started running after him. She started chasing him around the room. "Soph, stop! Foster! Hey! Heel! Hello?! You shouldn't be running around like this while pregnant!"

"Says who?" Sophie challenged.

"Uh... Me!"

Sophie squealed when Keefe stopped suddenly and whipped around, catching her in his arms. Sophie giggled uncontrollably when Keefe started tickling her. "S-s-s-stop! Keefe! STOP!"

Keefe eventually did let go. "Ok, ok." He kissed her cheekbone, lightly. It was like feather or a leaf blowing in the wind. Barely there, but recognizable.

Sophie poked him in the side as she walked over to Sandor to retrieve Jellybean.

When she did, Sophie hopped back on the bed. She leaned against the pillows on the headboard and Elizabeth laid net to her, playing with the registry pendant dangling from Sophie's neck. "We have plans, right?'

"For this upcoming week?" Keefe asked as he slid into the warm bed next to her.

Sophie nodded as Sophie lifted Elizabeth over and into the middle of the bed. Elizabeth became interested in Keefe's hands and fingers. Keefe wiggled them a bit and she giggled.

Sophie grinned.

"Yeah. We were planning on going to the beach with Fitz, Biana and Dex."

"Oh yeah!" Sophie looked at Jellybean. "You wanna go to the beach, Ellie? Ellie the Jellybean?"

She squealed and laughed.

Sophie took it as a yes.

"Do you feel worried about that checkup with Elwin?" Sophie asked after a couple minutes of messing and playing with Jellybean in silence.

Keefe looked at her. "Are you?"

Sophie nodded, not in the mood to try and lie with an Empath.

He reached across and took her hand. "I'm sure everything will be fine, Foster."

* * *

 **WRITING AT 12:50 A.M ON CHRISTMAS.**

 **YAS**


	3. Learning Names

**BlackSwanGirl: Thx for reviewing and saying it's cute and all :) Also... About Kenric... *smirking* Oh, I wish I could tell you. But you'll just have to sit in suspense. Love ya, fluffy unicorn**

 **Guest: Yes, he has abs. *laughing* Well, thank you for reviewing! Made me smile**

* * *

 **Hey everybody!**

 **So sorry for not updating :(**

 **You won't believe it...**

 **No, you really won't.**

 **I'm in the hospital. Again.**

 **UGGGGGHHHHHH.**

 **What happened this time was I woke up in the middle of the night, feeling HORRIBLE. I ran to the bathroom and WRETCHED A LOT. Mom heard me and came in, then a little while later when it had ceased, I went back to bed. Woke back up a little later that night and started screaming and crying because OMG MY STOMACH HURT. IT LITERALLY EVEN SWELLED UP.**

 **Then I got taken to the hospital aaaaand here we are now. (I got a new tablet for Christmas and my mom gave me it because she thought it would entertain me in the hospital... Yes, mother. It is _very_ entertaining ;))**

 **Right now I haven't heard anyone tell me what's wrong...**

 **Think they're still trying to figure it out...**

 **Oh well.**

 **SIDE NOTE: It is very weird switching from writing Sokeefe/Foster-Keefe to Sophitz. You know? Cuz one moment I'm writing this (which is Sokeefe/** **Foster-Keefe) an** **d the next I'm writing my story _Double Agent_ (which is Sophitz). SO WEIRD.**

* * *

 _ **This chapter is dedicated to FictionalBoyz for being the first to review on this story.**_

 _ **Thank you!**_

* * *

BIANA TOOK ELIZABETH IN HER ARMS AS SOOHIE AND KEEFE MADE THEIR WAY into Everglen. Biana grinned. "Hi, Elizabeth!"

Jellybean smiled. "Banana!"

"Uh, no, no sweetheart. It's _Biana_. Can you say that?"

"Bana!"

Biana shrugged and looked to Sophie. "Close enough."

Sophie giggled. "Close enough," she agreed.

Keefe grinned. "Jellybean's talking good so far."

"She called me Banana," Biana countered.

Keefe shrugged. "So? How do we know that's not your real name?"

Biana raised an eyebrow as she passed Elizabeth back to Sophie. "You think my name is _Banana?"_

Sophie lit up and snapped her fingers. "We could call you Banana Bread!"

Keefe snorted. "Nice one, Foster."

"NO." Biana begged.

Sophie patted her shoulder. "Alright."

Keefe scoffed. "Forget her, _I'm totally_ calling you that."

"NO!"

"YES."

"SOPHIE, CALL OFF YOUR BOYFRIEND. MAKE HIM STOP."

Soohie giggled. "Sorry, Biana, but Keefe is gonna be Keefe. I can't call him off."

"Ha! Foster _adores_ me. She can't even bare to _try_ to call me off."

Biana looked at her. "I don't know how you deal with him, or why you're with him."

Sophie looked at Keefe, who was preteneding to look hurt. She half smiled. "Me neither."

"That hurts, Foster."

Elizabeth laughed.

"Hey! Who's side are you on?" Keefe asked, coming up to her, hands on his hips. Jellybean giggled snd snuggled closer to Sophie. "Mommy."

"Ouch."

Biana was chuckling. "Rejected!"

Fitz and Dex came in, then, from the living room. Sophie used a hand to wave at them.

"Hey guys."

"Hey," Fitz greeted, flashing his trademark smile.

Jellybean started wriggling in Soohie's arms, pointing at Dex. Sophie smiled, passing her over to him. "That's Uncle Dex."

"Yeah!" she exclaimed.

Sophie giggled as Elizabeth tried to grab ahold of Dex's red hair. "Ok, Jellybean. Enough of that."

She stopped, then and pointed. "Dex!"

"Hey, Ellie has the Technopath's name down," Keefe celebrated.

"Aw, great job, baby girl!"

Elizabeth looked at Sophie. "Mommy!" she squealed.

Then to Keefe. "Daddy!"

Next was Biana. "Banana!"

Biana rolled her eyes as Keefe added, "Bread!"

Then Fitz. "Fitzgerald! **(because my iPad keeps auto correcting his name to that :))** "

Sophie burst into a fit of snorty giggles while Fitz gaped and Keefe chuckled. "That's a human thing."

"How did she get _that_ from my name?"

Biana was losing it. "And I thought Fitzroy was bad!"

"At least I'm not _Banana_."

Her teal eyes narrowed and she poked a warning finger into his chest. "Watch it, bud."

Sophie scopped Elizabeth into her arms and stood between the two. "Ok, let's not start the Battle of the Vackers."

Keefe clapped his hands. "I'd love to see that!"

Sophie groaned as Biana cracked her knuckles. "Keefe, not helping!"

"Sorry, babe."

"Since when do you call me _that?"_

For some reason it sounded so... human like? Odd in that way?

He shrugged. "Thought I'd try it out. But from your crinkled nose and waves of disgust and confusion hitting me... I'll stop."

Sophie straightened and sighed, shifting Elizabeth to a different position in her arms. "No it's fine. Just..." She looked at all her friends. "We still heading to the beach?"

* * *

 **This probably counts as a filler chapter.**

 **My apologies for not writing a lot.**

 **But since I'm in the hospital... I probably will be able to write more...**

 ** _Probably_.**


	4. Talons

**I HATE IV's!**

 **ARRRRRRGGGGGHHHHHH.**

 **Anyway, ok, listen, they had to _pump my stomach._**

 **They had to hold me down and stick a tube up my nose, down my throat, and into my stomach. While I was conscious and not on pain reliever or whatever.**

 **GAAAAAHHHHHHHH!**

 **#THEHORROROFTHEHOSPITAL #THECREEPINESSINTENSIFIES**

* * *

 _ **This chapter is dedicated to AlwaysTrustSoKeefe for telling me**_

 _ **they were inspired to write a fanfic after reading mine. It made me smile, so.**_

 _ **Thank you!**_

 _ **P.S. Keep writing! It's great so far!**_

* * *

SOPHIE COULDN'T EXACTLY WHERE A SWIMSUIT EFFECTIVELY WHILE FIVE MONTHS PREGNANT **(which I only realized after telling _everyone_ that Sophie and the gang would be going to the beach -_-).**

So, she simply slid on a pair of bright peach-colored shorts and a baggy, flowing white tank top.

Biana had protested, saying she'd even look cute in a swimsuit while pregnant, but Sophie wasn't worried about looking cute.

"I don't think I'll even go in the water," Sophie had said.

"Why not?" Biana had whined.

"Because. I'll stay on the shore with Jellybean."

Keefe had protested, also.

 _"Fosterrrrrr."_

Sophie rolled her eyes. _"Keeeeeefe,"_ she had mimicked. "I'm not going in."

"Why?" He pouted. "Does my girlfriend not love me enough to come in the water with me?" Then he had batted his eyelashes.

Sophie had bit her lip to hold back a smile. "Gosh, you're so needy."

Once they arrived at the beach, Sandor had been there waiting. Sophie gaped and Elizabeth giggled and squealed, reaching for the seven-foot-tall goblin.

"Hey, Gigantor showed up!" Keefe laughed.

"How did you know we were coming here?" Sophie asked.

Sandor grinned and crossed his arms. "I know a lot of things, Miss Foster."

The rest of the time, everybody (despite Sophie) played in the crystal water. The sun shone and reflected over the lake like a mirror. Sophie sat on the shore with Elizabeth, who kicked the sand around.

It was silver, like crushed up diamonds. It glinted every time it was moved about, too.

Elizabeth started laughing suddenly, and looking at something behind Sophie. Sophie frowned and before she had time to turn around, she let out a yelp as hands gripped her waist and hoisted her up off he ground.

Instantly, she was up hanging over Keefe's shoulder like a sack of potatoes.

"Keefe!"

"Sophie!" he mimicked.

Elizabeth laughed like crazy, and so did a couple others.

"Keefe, put me down!"

"No way, Foster! Not today!"

He started jogging towards somewhere, then, and Sophie bounced slightly in his hold. "Keefe! Careful!" she hissed as her stomach bumped him.

"Sorry!" he called, though he did not stop.

A second later, she was flopped onto cold, wet sand. Sophie screamed as the water splashed up onto shore and around her.

Kefe chuckled. "There! It's not that hard t get in the water."

"I never said it was!" she yelled back in defense.

She yelped again as the tide came back up on shore and splashed into her. Sopping wet, she stood up and wrung out her wet shirt.

"You. Are going. To die."

Keefe's eyes widened as he backed up. "Take it easy."

"Take it easy?! You threw me into the lake!"

Keefe held up a finger. "In my defense, I did not throw you in the lake, but rather-"

"I doesn't matter!"

Sophie smirked as she edged towards him and he cautiously took another step back.

"Foster... R-rememeber what we talked about? No running?"

"NOPE!" She yelled as she broke into a sprint after him.

Keefe turned and started running, too.

* * *

Sophie sat next to Elizabeth on the shoreline, once again. She had given up chasing Keefe not too long ago.

He was way too fast.

But, in her defense, she was carrying a child.

Elizabeth was slightly crawling around, so Sophie didn't have to keep too much of an eye on her and she decided to start reading on e of her old human books she had brought along.

It was Percy Jackson, a series about Greek gods and demigods.

Sophie had to giggle at some of the things. This was a human book it it all sounded so... odd, now.

Soohie gasped when she heard a sqwauk and Jellybean laughing. She slammed the book closed and ran over to where she had crawled which was a surprisingky fsr distance.

Elizabeth had discovered a seagull feeding on something and was trying to touch it, but the bird was not-so-keen on that idea and had begun to peck at her.

Sophie scooped her up into her arms and looked at the bird, backing away slowly.

Something on its feet caught her eye that she couod not look away from.

Keefe, Biana, Dex and Fitz had suddenly become aware. "Sophie...?"

The bird's feet were not normal. They had...

"Guys," Sophie called, still backing away. " That's a seagull. "

Everyone jogged up to her. Keefe looked puzzled. "We know, Foster."

She pointed at it. "Then why does it have _talons?"_

* * *

 **For those of you who don't know, seagulls do not have talons. They are not birds of prey, like eagles or hawks.**

 **This just got interesting :)**


	5. What Do You Think It Is?

_**This chapter is dedicated to BlackSwanGirl.**_

 ** _Thank you lots for the constant support and love! :)_**

 ** _My fluffy unicorn, you make me (and everyone) smile..._**

* * *

THERE WAS A INTAKE OF BREATH. SOPHIE DIDN'T KNOW WHO IT WAS FROM, SHE ALMOST THOUGHT SHE HAD DONE IT.

The seagull edged closer, causing everyone near to take a step back. It squawked angirly and pecked the ground, moving closer, as if saying that if anyone messed with it again, the ground would be their feet.

"Why does it have... talons?" Biana whispered, pointing a shaking finger at it.

It cawed and everyone jumped back again.

Elizabeth giggled and reached out for it in Sophie's arms.

"No, Jellybean. Not this one. Not nice."

With visiting Havenfield so often, Elizabeth had developed an exceptional love for animals, seeing as they were all vegetarians and tame, at the preserve. Well... except for Iggy.

Their relationship was... complicated.

But that was beyond the point.

In a swift motion, Sandoe rushed over, took out a goblin throwing star and held ot threateninglt near the bird. It cawed in protest but backed off and launched into the sky, flying away.

Sophie lifted a hand to shield the sun as she watched it move farther and fsrther off in the distance. She sighed as she looked at the others. "Why can't anything ever be normal?"

* * *

"WHAT DO YOU THINK IT WAS?" BIANA WHISPERED.

hey had all light-leapt to Everglen and were all gathered in the living room.

Everyone was sitting on the one couch, which was rather large. Of course, it fit in, what with the expansive space of the whole house and lawns.

Elizabeth was laid in Sophie's arms, sucking and chewing on Sophie's finger. She was falling asleep.

Sophie smiled at her daughter and then also noticed the promise ring on that exact finger Elizabeth was holding onto. Keefe had given her that for her eighteenth ID day.

Sophie grinned wider at the memory.

When Keefe had first pulled out the ring, Sophie had panicked, thinking he was going to propose to her.

But now that she thought about it, it wouldn't be that bad, marrying Keefe...

Sophie nearly snorted.

Grady would never allow that!

Her eyes widened, suddenly and she let out a laugh.

She just rememebered! Grady didn't even know they were a thing!

"What's so funny?" Tam asked.

The two twins sat next to each other on the fluffy couch cusions. Sophie admired how they adored one another and what a strong sibling-bond they had. Sophie wished she had done that with Amy when she had the chance.

Fitz had hailed them once they arrived, and not soon after, the two leapt to the house.

"Oh, nothing. Just a random memory that I recalled. It happens a lot, what with a photographic memory."

Keefe chuckled. "Fist bump, Foster."

Sophie rolled her eyes. "I'm holding the kid, Keefe."

Biana shook her head, drawing attention. "Hello? Did anyone hear what I asked?"

Lihn raised her hand. "I did. But I could not answer due to not having seen it."

"Don't worry, I'm not pointing my finger at you. Or Tam."

Sophie pursed her lips together trying to think. "It looked... infected? I guess?"

"Was it a disease that caused it to be born that way?" Dex asked.

"What kind of disease would do that?" Fitz asked.

Sophie shrugged. "I've seen some human diseases that cause them to be born with extra limbs and things like that."

Lihn made a sour face and Biana frowned. "That's so sad!"

Sophie nodded. "I a gree. But... I don't think that's the case. Those diseases, for animals, are usually caused by chemicals. Like pollution. But with the Pures puryfying the air..."

"There's no reason they would get sick like that," Keefe finished.

"Exactly."

Tam snapped his fingers. "Maybe it's a mutation."

Sophie froze. "As in...?"

Everyone looked at her oddly.

"Uh..." Dex said.

"A mutant?" Sophie whispered.

"Well, I guess but-"

"No!" Sophie groaned.

Elizabeth jolted awake at that, having been asleep. Sophie leaned forward and kissed her forehead as her eyes began to flutter closed, again. "Sorry, baby," she whispered.

She looked at everyone else, making sure to keep her voice down. "Those things I saw in Charing Cross? They were mutants."

* * *

 **Great. Just great.**

 **OK, GUYS, I NEED SOME HELP! I NEED YOU TO GIVE ME SOME NAMES AND LAST NAMES FOR ELVES.**

 **DON'T ASK WHY.**

 **ITS A SECRET.**

 **...FOR NOW.**


	6. Is It Serious?

**Alright, I want to know who you guys ship besides Team Foster-Keefe or Sophitz. Gimme some stuff to work with.**

* * *

"THEY WERE MUTANTS?"

It took Sophie a second to nod. She shuddered after the action at the flashbacks. Keefe touched her shoulder gently, offering what support he could.

Sophie gave him a weak smile.

"So... what does it mean?" Lihn asked, her voice hushed.

Sophie exhaled long and slow. "I think they unleashed something in the Lost Cities."

"Like...?"

Sophie nodded, biting down on her lip hard. "Another plague."

No one knew what to say. They sat there in silence, soaking in the new information.

Sophie's mind was spinning with the realization.

After all of this...

The Neverseen might finally win?

Her mind was quickly overwhelmed and occupied with images of differently mutated animals. It spread so fast through her head, it was like a grape juice stain on a white carpet.

Sophie tried to be calm and not get worried, but the worry was already stuck in her head, it's claws dug in deep. Rooted in her brain, she could not get it out.

Sophie looked over to Keefe, her worry and stress clear. Then she looked down at sleeping Jellybean. Next she stole a glance at all of her friends.

What were they about to get themselves into?

* * *

SOPHIE DECIDED SHE SHOULD TELL GRADY AND EDALINE ABOUT THE NEWS, JUT IN CASE.

Keefe wouldn't let her go to Havenfield alone, though, so the two ended up venturing over there together wth a sleeping Elizabeth.

Before they, Jellybean, and Sandor had both stepped into the light back at Everglen, Biana had said something about, "they're inseparable. "

Sophie's blonde hair whipped in the wind at Havenfield as she rung the doorbell.

Grady came to the door and smiled at Sophie, but eyed Keefe warily.

Sophie had to smile at that.

Grady didn't know the two were a couple, really. Sophie and Keefe had both agreed to keep it a secret from him, what with how Grady didn't really... well, like Keefe.

"Hi, Dad," Sophie greeted, pecking him on the cheek.

"Hi, Sophie. Hi, Keefe."

Keefe's hands were in his pockets and he took one out, then gave a small wave. "Hello, Mr. Ruewen."

Elizabeth shifted in Sophie's arms, but she was still asleep. "Where's Edaline?" she asked, quietly, rocking her precious bundle back to sleep.

"Upstairs, actually cleaning the guest bedroom. Well, your bedroom."

Sophie's old bedroom had pretty much been renamed as, 'the guest bedroom' after she moved in with Keefe. But to be honest, she was still pretty much the only one who used it, unless her friends came along and spent the night in there, too.

"Ok. I think I'm going to lay Jellybean down up there. Sandor?"

Hs turned her head back to see Sandor somewhat next to Keefe. "Yes, Miss Foster?"

"Can you stay up there with her?"

His hand patted his sword. "Of course."

"Thank you."

Sophie and everybody else were let into the house and she immediately made her way to the stairs. Keefe followed, probably mostly because he didn't want to stay alone with Grady downstairs.

With Sophie being pregnant and carrying two children -one in womb, one out of the womb- she couldn't really walk steadily up the steps. And it wasn't like she could hold onto the stair railings.

Keefe helped steady her by holding her arm with one hand and the other was placed on the small of her back.

Sandor was right behind and soon enough they got to the third floor.

The doors to her room were wide open, and when Sophie got inside, Edaline was sweeping the flooring while a couple gnomes were dusting and wiping down things.

Edaline lit up when she saw the two. She also gave a smirk at Keefe.

Sophie and Keefe both knew Edaline had caught on to their dating-thing, but they were fine with it since she kept it from Grady.

"Hello, Sophie! Hello, Keefe!" She set down her broom and came over to the two. "What are you doing here?"

Edaline grinned tenderly at Elizabeth sleeping.

"Oh, we just... have some news."

Edaline's grin faded. "Is it serious?"

"We believe so, Mrs. Ruewen, " Keefe replied.

"I see." she said, then also noticed Sandor. She gave him a smile. "Welcome back."

"Thank you."

Sophie went over to her bed and laid Jellybean gently onto the plush matress. Keefe came over and placed two pillows on each side of her, so if she rolled, she would not fall off.

When they turned around and came back to Edaline, she motioned out the door, for them to go first. "We'll discuss in the living room with Grady."


	7. Explanation

**I'm in love with the song, 'City Of Stars' from the phenomenal movie, _La La Land._**

* * *

"WHAT IS IT?" GRADY ASKED.

Him and Edaline were on one couch, while Keefe and Sophie sat on the opposite.

Sophie was the first to speak, though it came out crackly. "Uh... Well..."

Her voice was strained: she was nervous.

Keefe took her hand, despite Grady raising an eyebrow and narrowing his eyes at Keefe. He gave it a light squeeze. When she glanced to his eyes, hey said everything. _I'm here for you if you need it._

She cleared her throat and looked at her parenspts, her confidence building. "We discovered something at Charing Cross, remember?

Edaline nodded and Grady added, "Which I am _still_ not happy about. You ran off without our permisiion! You could have been killed."

"Grady," Edaline said softly. "She's older, now. She has a right to make her own decisions."

"And what if they're the wrong decisions?" He turned to Sophie. "I mean no offense to you, sweetheart. But you just know that I don't want to see you hurt."

Sophie nodded. "I know, Dad," she said quietly.

"Back to what you were saying..." Edaline prodded.

Sophie looked at Keefe one more time. He nodded and Sophie turned back to her parents. "I'm thinking the Neverseen unleashed another plague before they were defeated."

"What?" Edaline breathed.

Keefe nodded. "We found a seagull at the beach, but it had talons."

"It mutated," Sophie explained.

"How is this possible?" Grady asked. "Who else have you told about this?"

"Only me, Keefe, Fitz, Dex, Biana, Tam, Lihn, and Snador know."

"We are supposed to call thrm after we tell you, though, so thrn Fitz and Biana can tell Alden and Della."

"Don't bother," Grady said. _"We'll_ be hailing them. Not the two of you."

"We should probably inform the Collective, too."

A lump formed in Sophie's throat. She didn't really speak to the Black Swan much **(SPOILER FOR LODESTAR!)** after Mr. Forkle... **(SPOILER OVER)**

"Why them?" Sophie asked.

"Well, do you want us to rather tell the Council?"

"Not _all_ the Council." Sophie said.

Keefe laighed. "Especially not Alina!"

Sophie had to smirk at that one.

"Well, then who?"

"Oralie is fine. And I _think_ Bronte and Terik."

Sophie really wished she coukd say Kenric in the mix of names. He had always been one of her supporters, and a friend.

Sophie placed her hand on her belly.

 _You're named after a great man, Kenric_.

That randomly reminded Sophie... She needed to have another checkup with Elwin sometime soon.

"We'll inform everyone," Edaline promised as Grady pulled out his Imparter and stood from the couch, going off into a corner to talk.

That's when Sophie and Keefe heard Elizabeth start to wail from upstairs.

* * *

 **ELIZABETH!**


	8. Perfect Solution

**MermaidGirlAmaya: At first I thought it was Keef-IE, but when I went to the book signing, and I asked Shannon and she told me it was 'Keef'.**

* * *

 **I'M OUT OF THE HOSPITAL!**

 **ALSO, I'M BAWLING MY SISTER LOST MY KEEPER OF THE LOST CITIES BOOK THAT WAS SIGNED AND WRITTEN TO ME WITH ANPERSONAL NOTE BY SHANNON.**

 _ ***#$ &%!**_

* * *

 _ **This chapter is dedicated to the people who I have not heard from in awhile.**_

 _ **You know who you are.**_

 _ **I miss you!**_

* * *

SOPHIE AND KEEFE BOTH LOOKED AT EACH OTHER WITH WIDE EYES. "ELIZABETH!" THEY BOTH YELLED IN UNISON, springing from the couch and rushing upstairs.

If Sandor was missing and thr Neverseen had taken Jellybean again...

Wait...

But they were gone!

Sophie still ran in there, though, with no delay.

Sandor was tenderly holding Elizabeth and when he saw Sophie, he carried her over and passed her to Sophiw's arms. "She woke up," he explained.

Sopjie carefully rocked and bounced Elizabeth, whispering loving words into her ear. She looked at Sandor. "Thank you."

"My pleasure."

Sophie and Keefe both went doOncenstairs, then. "Mom, Dad, I think we're going to go."

"A-alright." Edaline said shakily.

"Careful," Grady ordered.

"We will be." Sophie promised.

* * *

BIANA PULLED SOPHIE INTO EVERGLEN RATHER FORCEFULLY. "SOPHIE!" she squealed.

"What?" She asked. "You need to be careful! I was holding Jellybean!"

"Sorey, but ai have the perfect way to take our minds off this!"

"What?"

Biana started patting her legs, giving a drumroll. Then she stopped, gave a jump, and showed jazz-hands. "Matchmaking scrolls!"

* * *

 **I agree, Biana ;) Relationships will be tested.**


	9. Decision

**Hey guys!**

 **Sorry I haven't been posting a lot. I just have soooo much homework to make up after my hospital incident.**

 **I forgot to tell you they found out what's wrong with me!**

 **ANYWAYS, i also had the privilege of writing a chapter for AlwaysTrustSoKeefe's story, _The Downfall Of The Neverseen._**

 **If anyone else wants me to do that, feel free to ask, because I love it.**

* * *

"WAIT, WHAT?"

"Yeah!" Biana said giddily. "Matchmaking scrolls!"

"W-what for?" Sophie asked.

She didn't know why after everything _this_ was making her nervous.

"Why not?" Biana bounced and draped an arm over Sophie's shoulders. "We can finally see who we're mean to be with!"

Sophie shrugged out of her hold. "Why do they have to chose for us?" she countered as she looked around at all her friends. "Why can't _we_ chose who _we_ want?"

Biana's face fell. "You get to chose."

"Not really. They give you a list that _they_ made for you chose from. What if, out of all the elves, it didn't have who you liked? Then if you pick a elf who's not on their, its wrong?"

Biana seemed saddened. "I... guess I never thought of it that way."

Keefe came over and draped an arm over Sophie's shoulder. "Foster opens all our eyes to the unseen, don't you think?"

"Yeah," Fitz teased, smiling as Sophie blushed at their praise. "She's a thinker."

"Kind of ironic she thinks so complex _and_ she's a Telepath."

"Don't _all_ Telepaths do that?" FItz asked.

"Nah," Keefe said. "You sure don't!"

"I'm offended."

"Guys, we're straying from the point!" Biana said. She looked at Sophie. "If you don't want to, we don't have to. _I_ even won't apply."

Sophie sighed, knowing Biana was ready to give up a lot for her. Biana had been dreaming about this moment when they could all apply for their scrolls all together. "No. I'll do it."

Biana's eyes lit up. "Really?"

"Yeah."

Sophie couldn't help smiling when Biana squealed.

* * *

IT TOOK A COUPLE OF DAYS, BUT THEY ALL FINALLY GOT THEIR PACKETS TO FILL OUT IN ORDER TO GET THEIR SCROLLS. THEN, IT TOOK A COUPLE MORE DAYS TO FILL THEM OUT. FINALLY, THEY GOT THEM TURNED IN.

"Whew!" Biana said as she flopped down onto the couch in Everglen's living room. " Who knew finding thenlovenof my life woukd take so much work? "

Sophie floated over to Fitz. **(LODESTAR SPOILER!)** "Did you ever open that one scroll yournoarents forced you to get awhile back?"

Fitz pursed his lips and shook his head. "Nope. And I don't think I will. I'll wait for this new one."

"Oh, ok." **(SPOILER OVER!)**

Keefe cwme over and grinned at Sophie. "So, who you hoping to get?"

Sophie rolled her eyes when he winked. "You should already know."

"No," Fitz said. "He's clueless!"

"Hey!"white

Sophie jumped when he Imparter rang. She handed Jellybran over to Keefe and pushed the 'accept hail' button. "Hello?"

"Sophie!"

"Hey, Dad. What's up?"

"We're about to tell Alden and Della about the pl- you know what. We'd like you and everyone else over here. "

Sophie didn't get why Grady neede all of them for telling Alden and Della, but...

"Ok, bye."

Sophie hung up and looked at everyone as she grabbed Elizabeth back in her arms. "We're going on a field trip."

* * *

 **MATCHMAKING SCROLLS!**

 **TELL ME WHO YOU WANT ON DEX'S, KEEFE'S, BIANA'S, AND SO ON.**


	10. Here We Go

SOPHIE GASPED WHEN SHE ENTERED HAVENFIELD AND LOTSBOF PEOPLE WERE PACKED INTO THE HOUSES' LIVING ROOM. "DAD! THIS IS A LOT MORE THAN ALDEN AND DELLA!"

Grady seemed proud of himself. "I very well know that."

The living room was filled with Alden, Della, Kesler, Juline/ **(LODESTAR SPOILER!)** Squall, **(SPOILER OVER!)** Councilor Oralie, Councilor Terik, Councilor Bronte, Lord Cassius, Lady Gisela, Prentice, Wylie, and the Black Swan Collective.

"DAD," Sophie groaned. Jellybean giggled, which made a lot of people go, _'awww'._

Sophie couldn't help but half smile at that, but then she shook away the stupid grin. "We're telling all these people?"

"Don't they deserve to know?"

Sophie could see how uncomfortable Keefe was with having Lord Cassius around everyone. He could burst-out into some stupid argument any moment. Still, Keefe was trying his best to keep cool. He stood very near to Sophie.

Sophie gave him a weak smile for support. Then she turned back to Grady. "I guess," she said with a shrug.

Elizabeth was closely inspecting everyone around her, which were clearly making her nervous. "Jellybean," Sophie cooed, "it's ok. You know all these people!"

Tiergan, disguised as Granite, stepped forward to Sophie in his rubble-gravel disguise. "What has happened, Moonlark?"

Sophie took a deep breath as she looked around at everyone. "We defeated the Neverseen," she started. Everyone looked utterly confused and were clearly thinking the same thing.

 _How is that_ bad?

"But," she added, "they weren't finished with us."

Sophie felt like she was purposely pausing for effect. But this needed no pause.

"They unleashed another plague."

The room fell silent, holding it's breath.

"You're... positive?" Tiergan/Granite asked.

Sophie bit her lip hard. There was nothing else needed.

"How do you know this?" Juline-as-Squall asked.

"I saw it."

"What _is_ the plague?" Della asked, the fear in her wide eyes clear.

"It's mutating different animals."

They were many worry-full whispers, now, passing about the room and making it sound like they were in a hive of buzzing bees and not a regular living room.

"But," Sophie said, "it is not affecting elves or gnomes."

"What about ogres?" someone cried. "What if they mutate and come after us?"

"Why would they do that?" someone asked incredulously.

"Because they could!"

"Please, please," Oralie said, holding up her hands. "Calm down."

Tiergan looked Sophie in the eyes and held out his hands. Sophie reluctantly passed Elizabeth to Keefe and Tiergan took her hands. They were clammy. "Mr. Forkle said you would do great things with your time, dear."

The room was quiet and Sophie was sure everyone could hear her swallow as she nodded and looked at her feet.

"This plague? We may not have much time left. I need you to use your time wisely."

"I will," she whispered.

"Good. He would be proud of you."

Sophie's edges of her mouth twitched with a glint of a smile. "I would hope so."

Tiergan-as-Granite turned back to everyone. "I vote we send Miss Foster to the place she saw these mutants originate. Then we can find the source and stop this plague."

Oralie held up her hand. "As do I. Just be careful!"

Some laughed and lightened the mood a little.

Bronte was next to raise his hand. Then Juline. Then Terik and so on.

They eventually had full support.

Sandor sighed from a corner. "Here we go..."


	11. Heartbeat

THE NEXT WEEK PASSED IN A FLURRY OF PACKING AND PREPARATION.

Sophie couldn't deny the fact that wherever she went, there was a feeling of dread in the pit of her stomach.

Sophie found out from Biana that their scrolls would all come in the following week, which was in two days. Biana was practically dying.

(On the Imparter)

"Biana, I have to go."

 _"Why can we not fangirl about our scrolls coming?!"_

"I have to meet Elwin for a checkup on Kenric, B."

Biana mumbled something incoherently over the Imparter. "Fine."

"I promise I'll call you afterward."

 _"Ok. Good luck with the appointment."_

Sophie nodded. "Good luck, indeed."

* * *

KEEFE, ELIZABETH AND SOPHIE SEEMED TO WIND UP AT ELWIN'S A LOT.

It was quite hilarious, the threesome.

Sophie lay on a cot once again, as Elwin checked her and Kenric over.

The whole time, Elwin looked completely nervous. Keefe and Soohie could tell, and they kept exchanging glances.

At the end, Elwin took off his goggles and sighed, then forced a smile. "Well, good news is, you can hear Kenric's heartbeat."

Sophie didn't like the way he had said, 'good news' and not just, 'news'.

"We can?" Sophie asked.

She'd hear something about for humans you could only hear it near the end of the pregnancy, which Sophie wasn't that close to.

Four more months.

"Yeah." Elwin looked at Keefe. "You want to? I'll hold Elizabeth."

Keefe bit his lip and nodded as he passed Jellybean to the doctor. Elwin handed them a tool that looked like a stethescope, but with a cone on the end.

Sophie smiled, glad to recognize it as a human-type object. It was a fettoscope or a Doppler stethoscope.

Keefe gave Sophie the cone-shaped part, signaling he wanted her to listen first. Sophie frowned and shook her head. "You should. You're the dad. Moms carrying around the child for nine months and the best you ever get is to feel it kick a couple times."

Keefr grinned and ruffled her hair. "Gee, thanks for laying it all out there, Foster."

She scoffed and rolled her eyes. "You know what I mean."

Kwefe put his hand behind her head and pulled her close, planting a kiss on her forehead. Listen, " was all he said.

Sophie's corners of her mouth twitched wth a smile as Keefe positioned the one end on her abdomen and Sophie put the cone part to her ear. Keefe kept moving the opposite end around leisurely, waiting for when Sophie could hear.

Sophie sucked in a breath abruptly and he paused. "Stop!" she breathed.

 _Thu-thump. Thu-thump. Thu-thump..._

Sophie laughed joyously and handed it to Keefe. "You can hear him."

It was weak and faint, but it was there.

Keefe put it up to his ear and a smile brightened his whole face. "Foster..." he breathed.

Sophie almost started crying when he laughed and wiped his eyes. When he set the device down, Sophie punched him in the arm. "Softy."

"Hey!"

Elwin chuckled and came over to them, and they exchanged Elizabeth for the fetoscope.

Sophiw noticed he wrung his hands. Sophie bit her lip as she sat up on the cot and Elwin's mouth kept opening to form words, but none ever came out.

"Elwin...?" she whispered.

Elwin swallowed and looked at Keefe. "I think I should have some time alone to talk to her."

Keefe nodded.


	12. Bad News

SOPHIE DIDN'T LIKE THE FACT THAT KEEFE AND ELIZABETH HAD TO LEAVE THE ROOM. "ELWIN, WHAT'S GOING ON?"

Elwin was pacing, nervously, and not meeting her eyes. "I found something I wish I had not."

"W-what?" Sophie's throat was dry.

Elwin stopped pacing and came and took her hands, his eyes fully meeting hers. "I need you to promise me to cherish and love Kenric."

"Why wouldn't I? He's my kid."

"Sophie, don't let this break you. It's not your fault."

"What's not my fault? What's going on? Tell me what's going on!"

"Perhaps I should call in Phsycic to help me do the explaning," he offered, dropping her hands and pacing, again.

"What explaining? Elwin, you're scaring me!"

"I need you to also promise not to let guilt seep in. Don't let it pull you under. No one will be able to get you back."

"Elwin, what's happening?" Sophie whined and whimpered, becoming frightened. A few tears rolled down her cheeks.

"I'll call Phsycic," was all he said.

* * *

SOPHIE COULDN'T CONTAIN A FEW TERRYFIED TEARS ROLL OUT OF HER EYES AND ELWIN CAME BACK IN THE ROOM WITH PHSYCIC. "What's going on?" she whined like a frightened toddler.

"Sweetheart, do not cry," Phsycic cooed. Her red mask adorned her face and Sophie for some reason felt even more uncomfortable.

 _Like there were more secrets just hiding... Being kept from her..._

"What are you not telling me?" she demanded. "I have to know. I deserve to know!"

Phsycic took her hands like Elwin had done ancouple minutes ago. Elwin cleared his throat. "Elizabeth was not supposed to live."

Soohie's eyes shotmopen. "WHAT?!" she shrieked.

Phsycic face palmed her forehead, then flicked Elwin. "Why must you start there!?"

"It's the only place _to_ start!" he defended. They both looked back at Sophie.

Phsycic squeazed her hands tighter. "Stay with us. Stay strong. There is more you must hear."

Sophie didn't really think she _wanted_ to hear more.

Sophie's head started filling up to the brim with fears and she started hyperventilating and crying. "Is my Jellybean going to die?" she sobbed.

Elwin and Phsycic both exhchanged a look.

"Darling..."

"NO!" she howled.

 _It could not end like this..._

* * *

 **More will be explained next chapter and all will make sense... :D**

 **Now, tell me, how are you feeling after this chapter? ;)**


	13. Danger Zone

**BlackSwanGirl: No, it was oldsoul-youngheart. :). Alao, I don't think it was one of the ideas you gave me... Idk. Anyway, thanks for reviewing!**

* * *

"SOPHIE, CALM DOWN!"

"No!" she shrieked. "My Jellybean is going to die and you tell me to calm down?!"

"No! You must listen!" Elwin prodded.

"Please," begged Phsycic.

"What is there to explain?" Sophie blubbered.

"Elizabeth is just fine, as she will remain," Phsycic promised quietly.

Sophie sniffled. "You're sure?"

"I'm sure." **(Oh, and you guys thought I would kill Jellybean. How crazy do you think I am?)**

Sophie took a deep breath and wiped her face, then gave her hands back to Phsycic. "Then...?"

Elwin proceeded to explain. "I saw the flaw straight away when you came in to see me for the first time you knew you were pregnant with Elizabeth. I just couldn't fully indentify what the flaw did or affected. I decided to ask Phsycic before I told you anything, afraid that if I worried you and you got stressed, the flaw would delve deeper."

Sophie nodded and Phsycic gave her a forced smile. Sophie knew something was coming.

"Well, I went to her, showed her some paperwork of the virus and everything..."

"And?"

"Sophie," said Phsycic, "the Black Swan originally made it for you not to be able to reproduce."

It took a minute for Sophie to respond. "I...? Jellybean isn't supposed to be a thing?"

Phsycic shook her head. "No."

"Then how is she here?"

Elwin smiled. "I saw it in your eyes that first appointment that no matter how much you disliked the predicament you were in, you wanted Jellybean. You loved her from the start."

Sophie laughed, softly. "I did."

"I told Phsycic about your desire and she promised to do everything she could to find a way to allow Jellybean to live."

"And... you did?"

Phsycic nodded. "I made a elixir that would allow a section of your womb to bear a child. Elwin slipped it into some of that ID Day food you had."

"Wait... what do you mean 'section'?"

"When they tweaked your genes, they tweaked them hard and good," Phsycic laughed. Then she became serious. " The genetic they put to make it impossible for you to reproduce was very complex and tough, that I could not 'crack through it' or completely rid you of it. "

"So...?"

"So, Jellybean formed in the area that was safe. "

When Sophie crinkled her nose, Elwin added, "Think of it as that warm nook you described having found in Alden and Prentice's minds when they were broken. Through all the madness and chaos, there was a safe haven."

 _It felt a little weird how they were saying it, but..._

"Well?" she asked.

"On your conception date, you had done it with Fitz and Keefe, correct?"

Sophie turned red. "Yeah..."

"Thus, having double male gametes inside you. And, what with us creating that nook..." Phsycic passed it to Elwin.

"Some went into the safe part, while the others-"

"Went into the danger zone?" Sophie whispered, cutting him off.

Phsycic nodded.

"So... Jellybean was developing and safe, while another child lay "dormant". Then, when Elizabeth left me, there was enough space and everything for the other child to develope, which means..." Sophie covered her hand with her mouth. "Kenric's in the danger zone," she breathed.

* * *

 **I take it back. I am 100% crazy.**


	14. Time

**Just some songs that I personally think fit well with this series...**

* * *

 **All-American Girl ~ Carrie Underwood**

 **Last Name ~ Carrie Underwood**

 **In My Daughter's Eyes ~ Martina McBride**

 **On Purpose ~ Sabrina's Carpenter**

 **Wildside ~ Sabrina Carpenter and** **Sofia Carson**

 **I** **Think I'm In Love (Clean Version) ~ Kat Dahlia**

 **Little Talks ~ Of Monsters And Men**

 **A Thousand Years ~ Christina Perri**

 **Two Pink Lines ~ Eric Church**

 **Shadows ~ Sabrina Carpenter**

 **I Really Like You ~ Carly Rae Jepsen**

 **Talk ~ Daya**

 **City Of Stars ~ (from the movie _La La Land_ )**

 **Slide ~ Goo Goo**

 **Where You Are ~ Gavin DeGraw**

 **Say Something ~ A Great Big World**

* * *

"NO," SHE WHIMPERED, THE TEARS COMING BACK. "IT CAN'T BE."

"I'm so sorry," Phsycic promised.

Sophie's eyes were wide. She wrenched her hand out of Physici and started scooting back from the two. "No... It cannot be! I won't believe it! He'll be ok! He'll be ok!" she wept bitterly. "I'll do something for him! Anything! God, I'll drown myself in freaking limbium for him! Please!"

Phsycic came over and pulled her back towards them and enveloped her in a hug as she sobbed. "There has to be something we can do for him..." Sophie cried.

"There is nothing, dear. His fate was sealed the day he started to develope."

Sophie had seen some movies where the mom lost her child, but she'd never really understood how hard it was. The mother was with the child since day one.

She got to feel their kicking, carrying them around, peovide for them...

They got really attached. But now...

"Why?" she whispered. "Why?"

Elwin came and placed a hand on her shoulder, seeing as she was still wrapped in Phsycic's embrace. "Kenric may just live outside od birth for a day or two. But I am not certain. Just use your time well."

 **(LODESTAR SPOILER!)** That reminded Sophie of Mr. Forkle and the day he had left.

 _Time is a funny thing,_ he had said. _Once it's gone, it's gone. But then it passes to someone else. You'll do great things with it, Sophie. Wonderful, incredible things. I'm sorry I won't be there to see them. But don't let that stop you from living them. Dream. Fight. Love. Take risks. Allow yourself to be happy..._ **(SPOILER OVER!)**

More tears poured out. Why was this happening? Poor Kenric...

 **(LODESTAR SPOILER!)** _Don't fall down the angry, bitter hole that death opens up inside us..._ **(SPOILER OVER!)**

But it was so hard not to.

Her voice was shaky as she said, "I promise."

 **(LODESTAR SPOILER!)** She clutched the gold locket around her neck, carrying Mr. Forkle's Wanderling Tree seed. She hadn't wanted to plant it, rather keep it with her everywhere she went. **(SPOILER OVER!)**

She would use her time wisely.


	15. Matchmaking Scrolls

SOPHIE COULDN'T FIND IT IN HER GUT TO TELL KEEFE.

Everytime she even thought about it, she felt naseous.

She sniffled as tears rolled down her cheeks. She clutched her bump.

 _I'm so sorry, Kenric..._

With the news Sophie had learned from Phsycic and Elwin, she'd found that Kenric was either Keefe or Fitz's and the same for Elizabeth. So one was Fitz's kid, one was Keefe's...

But how could she think about that with the more important news?

Kenric didn't have too long.

When Sophie heard the doorknob handle start to turn, she wiped off her face frantically and tried to act casual. "Sophie?" Keefe asked.

Elizabeth made a cooeing sound mixed with a gurgle.

Sophie couldn't fight her smile. "Hey," she said.

When Keefe made it to the cot, he passed Jellybean to Sophie and made her scoot over on the cot, to allow them both to lay down against the pillow propped up against the wall. Sophie lay Elizabeth on her chest.

Sophie could tell that she was tired, for she didn't move around.

"What happened?" Keefe asked, reaching over and rubbing Jellybean's back with his hand. It was cute because his hand WAS as big as her back.

"Oh, nothing, really. Just... Did Elwin tell you anything?"

"No. Which is why I'm asking you."

"Oh, right. Yeah. Uh, well, he just... prescribed some elixirs and pills for me to take... to... better support... me and Kenric."

Sophie was proud of herself for coming up with that so quickly and on-the-spot. But the other half of her felt stupid.

 _You can't lie to an Empath._

Keefe obviously noticed, but didn't press. "Alright."

* * *

"MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMATCHMAKING SCROLLS!" BIANA CELEBRATED AS SHE RAN INTO THE LIVING ROOM OF EVERGLEN WHERE EVERYONE WAS GATHERED.

She had seven scrolls in her hands, one for evergone.

"Hey!" Lihn exclaimed. "Where'd you get those?!"

"They were just dropped off at the door!" Biana squealed.

Everyone stood up and swarmed around Biana, suddenly. She handed out to everyone their personal list, a huge smile on her face.

When Sophie got hers and she sat back down on the couch with Elizabeth cradled in her one arm, the little five-month-old began trying to grasp at the scroll. Sophie smiled at kissed her on the nose, which made her giggle.

Once everyone jad theirs, they all sat down, divided among the two couches.

"Ready...?" Biana asked as they all looked at one another.

"Set..."

"GO!"


	16. Number One

**gemmybear123: Hi! Omg, I love your name :). Thank you so much for reviewing and being so nice! Thanks for reading my fanfics, too. Means a lot and I hope I hear from you again!**

 **AlwaysTSK: If I kill Kenric, you're gonna kill me... Oh dear.**

 **FictionalBoyz: Oh, you beg for mercy on little Kenric when you know I am crazy. How will this turn out...? :)**

 **If I missed anyone, forgive me!**

 **Also, sorry for not updating a lot. It rakes a lot to update on here and Wattpad. Also, I've got mulyiple fandoms that I have stories going for, too.**

 **ALSO, I think I am crazy about wanting book characters to have offsprings. I just started one for the Pegasus series...**

 **It's called, 'Trouble Doubled'.**

 ***sigh***

* * *

SOPHIE RIPPED OFF THE SEAL WITH MUCH MORE FORCE THAN INTENDED AND MANAGED TO OPEN IT WITH ONE HAND.

Sophie's eyes trailed over the long list, as did Elizabeth's, though Sophie knew she couldn't read.

Sophie was... surprised at her list. So may people she didn't know, but onw thing stood out clearly to her...

Was it a mistake? Or...

Dex was 87. Tam was 64. There was some random guy named Jace. And Brigan. And Darin. And Archer. And Alec.

Soohie looked up at everyone else, trying to read their expressions, because everyone was silent.

Tam and Lihn were quietly looking at one another and swapping lists, Biana was chewing on a nail and smiling, Dex was red as ever, Keefe had a raised eyebrow and Fitz was- whoa.

Pale as a skeleton.

"So..." Sophie started, drawing attention. "Anyone wanna share?"

"Marella and Lihn are on mine, Dex piped up. His cheeks immediately flushed when Lohn looked at him.

"I've got Jace Norston as my number one," Biana said. "...And Tam's my two."

"Hey, I have Jace, too," Sophie said.

"Oh, really?"

"Who _is_ he?"

"Some random Bejuiler at Foxfire."

"Ah."

Sophie looked at Fitz, who seemed to somehow manage to get paler. He also hadn't moved, like he was paralyzed or like a computer that had crashed.

His eyes met hers for a brief second and then he shook himself out of his trance. Without warning, he got up from the couch and came over, taking Soohie by the one arm that wasn't holding Elizabeth and making her stand up.

"We need to talk."

Sophie didn't know why his urgency scared her. Something was wrong.

So, she went over to Keefe who also seemed to be in his own trance and laid Elizabeth in his arms. Whwn she leaned over and kissed him on the forehead, she thought about peeking at his list, but resisted.

Fitz took her by the arm and practically drug her into the nearest bedroom, what with how fast he was walking and how slow she was with her baby bump.

When they got in there, Sophie ripped her arm away and rubbed the sore part he had been gripping. "Ouch! Fitz!"

"Sorry, but you need to look at this."

He held out his list and even though he had given her permission, as Sophie took it, she felt like she was comitting a crime.

That feeling fizzeled away and her eyes widened when she looked at his matches. One stood out loud and clear, almost as if it was highlighted.

Sophie Foster. #1.

* * *

 **Ik, it's short. I'm rushed!**


	17. Nowhere To Be Found

"WHAT?" SOPHIE ASKED. "WHY ME?"

"I was wondering that, too!" Fitz exclaimed. He caught himself and tried to fix his misunderstandable sentence. "I didn't mean you're bad or anything... " he clarified.

"I know," Sophie said She bit her lip and looked up at him, then back down at the paper, then up to him again. "What do we do?"

"What should we do?"

"I have no clue!"

Sophie was overly annoyed. Now that they had their matchmaking scrolls, this is what people expected them to chose off of. And if they chose someone they didn't have or that weren't in their most high slots...

...They were moat likely considered a bad match. Great.

"Ugh," Sophie complained. "Why does this have to be society? Why?"

Fitz ran a hand through his hair and blew out a puff of air. "I don't know."

She looked at him sincerely. "Fitz?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm not saying I don't like you or you're not great or anything, ok? You're wonderful and you deserve someone wonderful. I just..."

Fitz nodded, fast. "Oh, I know you weren't meaning offense to me. It's fine. I... yeah. No problem."

Sophie exhaled long and slow, trying to let out some steam. "So... not me?"

Fitz frowned. "Huh?"

"We go our separate ways? Don't let this change us?"

"If you want to, that's all fine by me. I love they way we are right now."

Sophie grinned. "Me too. You're the best Cognate anyone could ask for."

That made Fitz flash a real smile. "You're alright, too."

 _"Alright?"_ Sophie teased.

Fitz ruffled her hair. "Yep."

The two grew serious, suddenly. "Who do you think everyone else has or who they're going to chose?" Sophie asked.

"I'm not sure."

"Do you think it'll change any of us?"

Fitz sighed. "I hope not."

Sophie had really been hoping he would have said a definite, 'no'.

"Yeah... me too." Sophie all of a sudden grinned wickedly. "Hey... who else is on here, I wonder?"

She waggled her eyebrows as Fitz tried to snatch it away from her but she whipped it away. "Uh, uh, uh," she said, waving a finger.

"Hey! That's mine! Personal property! Private!"

Sophie chuckled and gave it up. "Ok, ok."

He rolled it back up and opened the door. "Why don't we head back out?"

Sophie nodded and walked out into the hall. She waited for Fitz to exit the room and close the door behind them. Once he did, they both made their way back to the living room.

"What happened back there?" Biana asked, curiously.

"A serious conversation which came to a serious decision," Sophie said, hoping it would get her off their case.

It didn't.

"What does that mean?"

"None of your business," Fitz said, laying back in a chair.

"I asked Sophie," Biana reminded.

"Nothing," Sophie replied when Biana looked at her.

"Ah, and the two Cognates manage to keep yet another secret from the rest of the group. When will they strike again?" Biana asked, pretending to hold a microphone, acting like a news reporter, and deepening her voice.

Sophie rolled her eyes and Dex laughed. "Wonderboy's not thrilled."

"I thought we retired that name?" Fitz asked.

"Nope. Definitely no."

Lihn giggled.

All the while, Keefe seemed a but off as he didn't look at anybody else around the room. His gaze was fixed on Elizabeth in his arms.

Sophie frowned. Maybe he was just trying to have some good Daddy-daughter time?

His glum frown settled on his face definitely said otherwise. Sophie slipped into his head.

 _Keefe?_ she whispered.

He flinched and then his eyes settled on her. **_Hmm? Everything ok, Foster?_**

 _Me? I'm fine! You look horrible, no offense._

He shrugged and looked back down at Elizabeth. _**This is just so weird**_ _._

 _Something is up._

 ** _Like what?_**

 _With you, silly. It's not that big of a secret._

 ** _I'm good._**

 _Keefe..._

 ** _No. I'm all good._**

It was silent for a moment and Sophie was about to press when Keefe sighed dramatically mentally and stood up from the couch. He suddenly handed Elizabeth to Fitz and then came and grabbed Sophie gently by the wrist. She stood and he brought her to the same room Fitz and her had just been in.

Once inside, Keefe shut the door and then started pacing.

Sophie watched him nervously. She reached out a hand to show him she wanted him to pause for a moment. He did stop abruptly, but didn't come near her and buried his face in his hands.

"Keefe..." Sophie whispered, going over to him. She rubbed his right shoulder gently and leaned her head on his left shoulder, looking at his face which was still covered with his hands. "Honey... Tell me what's wrong."

He dropped his hands from his face and suddenly hugged her hard. Sophie let out a breathless laugh and hugged him back. "I love you, too. What's wrong? Tell me. You're really scaring me."

He pulled away from her a little and his eyes wer tired and sad-looking. His lips were curled with a sad smile that made Sophie want to start crying.

"What happened?"

He bit his lip as he pulled out his matchmaking scroll from his back pocket and put it in her hands.

Sophie let out a shaky breath as she unrolled the paper and it squaked everytime it rubbed together in any place.

Sophie searched the list, trying to find what was so horrible. She didn't get it!

Sophie's eyes widened when realization dawned on her.

 _She gotten this far on the list and..._

Keefe's mouth was covered with his hand as she looked up at him. He laughed and lut it down, then ran it through his hair. He bounced slightly on his heels and wouldn't meet her gaze. "You're... not on there, Sophie."

Having him use her given name made it even more mind-blowing.


	18. I Know Where I'll Go

"I'M... NOT?"

Keefe ran his hand through his hair again-Sophie tried to ignore the fact it made him look better-and laughed bitterly. "No."

Soohie kept opening her mouth to say something of comfort or reassurance to him, but words never seemed to come out. "Keefe..." she breathed.

He sighed heavily. "Yeah?"

"You of everybody here should know this doesn't change my view on anyone. This," she held up the scroll at him, "I am not going to let make my decision. You know I don't like being treated like a puppet. "

"So?"

"So, _what?_ I'm not picking anyone off this stupid thing if you're not on here! I don't care if people think of me odd. I like _you!"_

Keefe still didn't seem assured. He kept looking down at the floor snd rocking on his feet, arms crossed. "Foster, that still..." he sighed again, half a groan and it seemed he was annoyed.

"What? Still what?" Sophie prodded.

He said nothing.

"Keefe," Sophie whined.

He bit his lip and glanced up at her, then uncrossed one of his arms. He reached out to her and took ahold of her hand.

Sophie's heart was drooping like an unwatered flower and she felt like pouting.

He looked so... sad, which made her depressed.

"You know I love you?" Sophie whispered, giving his hand a squeeze.

He looked at her for a moment, then dropped her hand abruptly and shuffled on his feet toward the door.

Sophie's chest tightened and her throat went a little dry. He didn't say _anything_ about that.

He opened the door and stood to the side, allowing Sophie to get out of the room first. He cleared his throat. "Let's go, Foster. They might be getting worried."

Sophie hated how his voice was strained. She wished she could make him feel better in an instant, but what she had already tried did not seem to cheer him.

What would?

Sophis swallowed and nodded at the floor, then whisked past him out of the room.

When the twonareived in the living room, Sophie took Elizabeth from Fitz's arms.

Fitz' brows creeped together, obviously noticing something was not right.

She gave him a sad smile and went and sat back down on the couch.

Keefe flopped down, too, looking glum as ever as he propped his elbow on the armrest of the couch and rested his face in his hand.

Luckily, it wasn't quiet, for Biana and Lihn were conversing happily.

Sophie looked at Keefe. _I'm not mad, if that's what you think._

Keefe slightly jumped as she entered his head. _**I know**_ , he croaked.

 _I get it,_ she continued. _You need some time to process this. Right?_

 ** _Yeah. I guess._**

Sophie had considered sending an extra, 'I love you', for support, but seeing as he hadn't responded to the last one, she left him in peace.

* * *

SOPHIE FIGURED SHE SHOULD TELL SOMEONE ABOUT KENRIC. MAYBE THEY COULD HELP HER THROUGH THE GRIEVING PROCESS.

She didn't want to tell Keefe, seen as he was already in an unhappy mood, and itnwouod out an extra burden on him.

She didn't really feel like telling Fitz or Biana, because they would tell her to tell Keefe.

She didn't really feel like tellling Tam and Lihn, because, no offense to the twins, but she hadn't known them as long as her other friends.

And she disn't want to tell Dex because she felt he was probably still trting to understand as of why she ever did that at the party.

 _I know who I'll go to. They'll listen._

Sophie had been bouncing Elizabeth on her knee while sitting on the couch in Keefe and her room at Candleshade. The five-month-old had a huge, bright smile on her face and was adorably chewing on her fist.

"Mama!" she babbled as Sophie stopped bouncing and cradled her.

Sophie smiled and stood from the couch, then made her way over to the crib Elizabeth slept in. Sophie carefully laid the blonde baby gently in it, and walked to grab her pathfinder.

Sophie noticed Keefe who was sitting in an armchair, reading or most likely pretending to read one of her Percy Jackson books.

Sophie half smiled. _If my life were a book, he couod read it and see how mopey he has been acting._

She had to laugh at herself. _My_ _life? A_ book? _Who'd want to read_ _that?_ **(Lots of people, Sophie. Lots of people. And, oh... I wonder whatever the series would be called?)**

Sophie came up to the blonde boy and leaned over, placing a hand protectively on her abodomen as if it would fall off, and kissed him atop the head. Keefe looked up at her, but before he could say anything if he wanted to, Sophie leapt away.


	19. Grief

**I wish Shannon Messenger could read fanfics. If she could, I would totally revise my whole story and the previous ones and beg and hope for her to read it.**

 **Also, all of you are clearly worried for Kenric! Have you really gotten so attached to a character who is yet unborn? ;)**

 **Heartache, much?**

* * *

"DAD? MOM?" SOPHIE CALLED AS SHE UNLOCKED HAVENFIELD'S door with a spare key her parents had given her.

"Oh, Hi, Sophie, honey! What brings you here?" Edaline asked as she set down a pan of mallowmelt. She had obviously just been trying to put it in the oven, for it was open and she was wearing cooking gloves.

Edaline slid off the gloves and came over to the door and hugged Sophie, despite her being bent over and taking off her shoes. Sophie slipped them off and hugged her mother back. "Hey."

Edaline stepped back from her a bit. "You ok?"

Sophie looked at the floor and shook her head.

Edaline pursed her lips, worried. "Is this something to be discussed as a family?"

"Definitely."

Edaline nodded her head and took Sophie by the shoulders, looking her in the eyes. "I'll go get Grady. You sit down and take it easy."

Edaline ran outside without any shoes and Sophie sighed, flopping on the couch in the living room.

Tears were already coming to her eyes just thinking about talking about the subject.

All because of _her_ , poor Kenric wasn't going to be able live a happy life. It wasn't possible for him.

Edaline rushed back in with Grady. There was a light film of sweat on his forehead and feathers stuck out of his blonde hair. His chisels features were taut with worry. "Sophie, what's up? Did something bad happen?" He asked, almost terrified.

"Yeah," she croaked. "Can you guys sit down?"

Edaline took Grady's arm and they both sat down on the couch across from Sophie that she had been pointing to, so they were facing her. Edaline and Grady both scooted to the very edge of the couch to be closer to their daughter.

Sophie folded her hands together on her knees and let out a shaky and slow breath. "I went to Elwin the other day and I got a checkup on me and Kenric."

"What happened?" Edaline asked quietly.

Grady reached over and placed a hand on Sophie's new. She looked at him and gave a weak, grateful smile.

She gulped and sniffed. "Umm..." her voice was strained.

Edaline and Grady exchanged a look, then glanced back at Sophie.

She wrungher clammy hands and bit her lip so hard she thought it would bust. "Kenric... Kenric's not ok," she whispered, letting a small sob escape. She covered her mouth with her hand as tears rolled out.

"Oh, sweetheart," Edaline cooed, transitioning over next to Sophie on the couch she was sitting on. Grady moved, too.

Sophie was aware one of them was rubbing her back comfortingly. "What happened?" Grady asked softly.

It took all of her strength to sit upright and wipe the tears from her face. "He-h-he... He's not gonna make it."


	20. Kiss

**Guys, to those of you who are reading 'Double Agent' and have clearly seen I have not updated in a LONG time, I would like to sincerely apologise. Like I have said before, I get random rushes of inspiration for different stories, and that is when I write best.**

 **Right now, I am not so much feeling that story. However, I will try to trudge through even though I'm stuck in my syrup-filled head, and get on with the pancakes. (I have no clue if that analogy even made sense.** ** _Is_** **it an analogy?)**

* * *

AFTER SOPHIE HAD TOLD GRADY AND EDALINE ABOUT KENRIC, THEY WERE SHOCKED.

But in their shock, they did their best to comfort their grieving daughter.

Sophie sobbed everything out to them and they listened.

When all was said and done, Sophie sincerely asked them to keep it a secret. With much reluctance and peotest, they agreed.

The next week was a flurry of preparation, planning and packing to go to the Foebidden Cities, once again. It would be a bit different now, though, because they'd be bringing along a five-month-old child _and_ Sophie was pregnant with Kenric.

Sandor would be coming along, too.

Sophie shoved the most random, absurd things in her purple backpack, but she didn't really care. She was all too caught up in the moment, and memories meant more to her than dresses.

Elizabeth was asleep in her crib while Sophie was packing, snoring softly. Sophie couldn't help but smile at her bundle of joy.

She could not believe she was a mother to such a wonderous child. What had she done to ever deserve her?

Sophie folded a few sweatshirts and T-shirts and put them in her backpack, making the purple fabric buldge out even more. She was filling it to the brim with stuff.

Sophie tried to zip the thing, but it got stuck about halfway because of all the items inside. Sophie jerked on the zipper mercilessly until it gave way and closed.

She rubbed her hands together and caressed some of her fingers with her thumb, which now had the imprint of the zipper on them. Sophie hated how even the little things stung, like paper cuts or when you hold a too-hot plate for about a second before you drop the thing like it's yesterday's trash.

She shoved her hands in her jean pockets and pulled the hood up on the sweatshirt she was wearing, hating how cold it was. That's when her gaze settled on her silent boyfriend.

Keefe was still acting all melancholy with a solemn look on his face as he packed his own bag. He moved slow and mopily and it made Sophie either want to cry or slap him.

Sophie sighed through her nostrils as she put a hand on her hip and relaxed her stance. "Keefe?" Sophie asked.

He paused and cleared his throat as he looked at her, running a hand through his blonde, disheveled yet good-looking hair. "Yeah?"

"You ok?"

He shifted a little uncomfortably and shoved his hands in his pants pockets. "Of course." He awkwardly itched the tip of his nose, using the ' diversion' as a time to look away from her and get out of her direct eye contact.

Sophie sighed heavily and rubbed her temples, exhausted with his attitude. What had she done? "Keefe, you're not ok."

"If you knew, then why'd you ask me?" Keefe snapped.

Sophie blew out a annoyed breath, trying not to blow her top. That wouldn't help anything. "Because I want to try and make you better."

Keefe opened his mouth to say something back, but then he clamped it shut as if it wasn't what he had been expecting her to say. "Oh... really?"

"Yeah, really. How many times have we been over that I damn care about you and want you to be ok? Keefe, I'm constantly worried for you."

Keefe swallowed and looked shamefully at the floor. "Oh."

"Yeah, 'oh'." Sophie replied, walking up to him. She placed her hands on his shoulders and he looked down at her, his eyes twinkling with curiosity as of what she was doing. "I love you," she whispered. " I've told you many times and I'll tell you a million more if I have to, I love you. And you know those scrolls don't change my view on you." She gave him a sweet smile, wrapping her arms around his neck as she got on her tiptoes and hugged him.

At first, he froze and didn't react, clearly unsure of what to do, but then with a calm exhale he wrapped his own arms around the petite blonde. "I'm sorry," he muttered sheepishly.

"Don't be sorry."

"But I have to. I was an idiot. I can't believe I ever thought you'd be like that and leave me because of what a piece of paper said."

Sophie giggled as she rested her head in the crook of his neck. "Let alone a piece of paper telling me what to do."

Keefe laughed and tugged her in closer until she was flush up against him. Sophie sighed happily through her nose and closed her eyes in peace. "You're warm," she mumbled into his neck.

Keefe chuckled and kissed the top of her head. "Thanks... I think."

Sophie giggled as they started to slightly swing together and she finally felt calm. Through all the chaos, they actually had some alone time now.

Sophie was debating whether to kiss him or not, they hadn't in so long. Sure, they'd give quick pecks to the cheek or on top of the head, but they never really kissed. They were usually around people like their friends and that was just slightly awkward, and it's not like they could do it in front of Keefe's parents. And if they did in front of Edaline, she'd coo and squeal and most likely take a picture, which would be mortifying, knowing she'd probably show it to lots of people or frame it. And they absolutely could not do it in front of Grady.

Keefe apparently had the same idea, because he pulled her back a little from him just enough for him to crane his neck down and plant his lips on top of hers.

They were warm to the touch and soft as anyone could imagine. The silence was pure bliss and Sophie could hear his breathing. She was pretty sure he could hear her loud heartbeat.

She was positive the world could hear it. But it wasn't like she cared. Not in that moment.

When they pulled away and broke apart, Sophie looked up at Keefe, who was smirking.

How stupidly attractive with those ice blue eyes and that damn smirk.

Sophie felt a blush creep onto her face and even if he noticed, he kept it to himself. "You're so cute, Foster," he complimented, running the tips of his fingers down the side of her cheek so delicately it was like he thought she was glass and was so fragile she would shatter with normal contact.

Sophie laughed and slipped her arms off from around his neck and punched his shoulder playfully. "Quiet."

"What?" he said innocently, coming forward sneakily and putting his hands on her hips, drawing her closer. "Too close?" he purred.

"Why don't you go prank someone or something," Sophie teased, trying to squiggle away from him. Sophie had her hands on his chest, trying to pull away from him. But he held firmer and pulled her up against him again.

Sophie bit her lip as she stood on her tiptoes and laid her chin on his sturdy shoulder. She put her hands on both sides of his arms, grasping onto the sleeves of his shirt. She breathed in the intoxicating scent of him, which was like spice and fresh rain.

What a mischievous smell for a mischievous being.

Sophie suddenly became aware Keefe had moved a hand to her baby bump and was feeling around on it. She frowned and pulled back a little, and he allowed her.

When she did, he was looking down at her lower abdomen. "Soph, is it just me or...?"

Sophie looked down and held in her breath. Crap. It had started to shrink.

Kenric wasn't going to last too long, was he? Oh, what if he was already gone?

Sophie swallowed so hard it hurt. "What?"

"I... It just... You..."

Sophie shook her head. "I promise you I'm fine." Sophie took his hand and laid it directly on her baby bump. "We both are."

How it hurt to lie straight to him. Oh, how it hurt.


	21. Heartache

**Ik this is random, but I have two ideas on what KOTLC will be called.**

 **Either** ** _Keeper Of The Lost Cities: Nightfall_** **, or** ** _Keeper Of The Lost Cities: Starstones._**

 **Otherwise... idk.**

* * *

SOPHIE KNEW KENRIC WAS LEAVING FAST. SHE DIDN'T THINK HE WAS EVEN HOLDING ON ANYMORE.

The thought brought tears to her eyes. _Poor Kenric..._

Keefe was gathering their stuff together down at the front door on the first floor of Candleshade while Sophie was upstairs, supposed to be waking up Elizabeth and getting her ready to go.

Instead, she was pacing nervously and wringing her sweaty hands together. He breathing had quickened and she had to gulp in heavy breaths of air.

 _Stop! Oh stop, oh stop, oh stop! He'll come up here and see you! Quick! Stop!_

Hot tears began to streamn uncontrolably from her eyes, down her cheeks and some went down to her neck.

Sophie sat down on the edge of Keefe and her bed, fanning her face rapidly, trying to calm down or slow her breathing. It didn't help.

She wrapped her arms around herself and rocked slowly back and forth, shaking.

 _What have I done?_

Sophie sucked in a sharp breath of air, needing more than the little amount she was getting from panting and crying. She blubbered softly to herself, praying she wouldn't wake up Elizabeth and that no one could hear her.

Her lip quivered and she whimpered out in fear and sadness.

Suddenly, the door bursg open and Keefe came rushing in. "Oh, God! What happened?" he asked, coming over to her and getting down on his knees beside her. Despite being on his knees, he just barely reached her shoulder, and she was sitting on the bed.

Sophie covered her mouth to try and stop crying, but of course that was the time she let out the most heart-wrenching sob anyone could imagine.

Keefe stood and sat beside her, pulling her to him with his one arm. Once she was close enough, he put the other over her. "What happened, Foster? Are you hurt?"

He felt her forehead and Sophie shook her head, still sobbing.

"Please, Foster. You have to tell me what happened," Keefe begged, rubbing Sophie's arm tenderly and rocking back and forth slightly with her. He kissed her forehead several times in the process. "Hey, what's wrong?" he cooed gently.

When she only replied with a whimper and another sob, he exhaled. "Let it all out, Foster. Let it all out..." he soothed. "You're safe. I promise you're safe and everything's going to be alright. Shh... Shh..."

Sophie was very aware she was probably getting snot and tears all over him, but she couldn't even begin to care. She turned her head and buried her face in his shirt, grasping to it with one hand.

"Are you scared about the mutants and everything? We'll be safe, Soph. Nothing's going to hurt you. Hey, guess what? Grizel is coming back! Remember how she retired, just like Sandor had? She's coming to help us," Keefe whispered.

His attempts to comfort Sophie had no affect. He felt so hopeless as of what to do for her. "Oh, Sophie..."

Sophie drew in a shaky breath as they rocked back and forth. A few more salty tears flowed down her wet, glistening cheeks and she tried her best to focus steadying her breathing patterns.

"There we go... There, there..." Keefe encouraged as he bundled up her hair in his hand and kissed the top of her head.

Sophie clung to his shirt still and she rested her head on his chest as they continued to rock. She listened to Keefe's thumping heartbeat and swallowed, for her throat was dry. Sophie shivered and whimpered, bundling up the piece of Keefe's shirt that was wound in her fist. "I'm so sorry..." she whispered, another sob escaping along with a hiccup.

"Hey," Keefe said, "don't cry. Everything is alright. You hear me? Everything's all right..."

Sophie smiled through her tears as she rememebered hearing Kenric's heartbeat for the first time. "Keefe," she rasped.

"What is it, Foster? What happened? Tell me."

Sophie drew in a shaky breath as he stopped rocking and looked down at her. He had raised a hand and was holding her chin up so she looked at him.

"Oh..." she whimpered, lip beginning to quiver as her eyes turned glassy.

Should she tell him?

* * *

 **No, seriously, should she tell him?**


	22. Forbidden City

SOPHIE SNIFFLED. SHE HAD TO TELL HIM, JUST... SUBTLY. SHE DIDN'T FEEL READY TO SAY HE probably wasn't going to make it.

A hiccup and sob escaped her lips. "He's sick, Keefe. Kenric's sick," she whined.

"Oh, Foster... Why didn't you tell me sooner? Is that why Elwin has you on those elixirs?"

Sophie instantly remembered her lie from back in the Healing Center. Truth was, she wasn't on any elixirs. If he asked to see them...

"Yeah," she croaked.

Keefe sighed sadly and enveloped her in a hug. "He'll be fine. As long as you take your medicine that Elwin prescribed, he'll be fine."

Sophie felt like screaming out, _there is no medicine. No elixirs. No serums. No pills. He's dying, Keefe. I do not believe there is anything I can do to stop it..._

But she clamped her mouth shut and snuggled up in his embrace, thankful for him being supportive. "Ok."

"Yeah?"

Sophie nodded, unable to speak.

"Alright, then." Keefe kissed the top of her head and beamed down at her. "Let's get our daughter and go."

 **(OMG BUT THE FACT THAT HE SAID 'OUR DAUGHTER', MY HEART IS MELTING)**

* * *

SOPHIE AND KEEFE GLITTERED INTO PLACE IN FRONT OF HAVENFIELD. Almost immediately, Silveny, Greyfell and Shannon trotted up to them.

Sophie smiled, excited to go on another adventure with the alicorn trio.

"Hey, Glitterbut," Keefe greeted. "And hello Daddy Shimmer Booty. And _certainly_ hello to Sparkle Tush Jr." As Keefe began petting the alicorns, he looked back and winked at Sophie, trying to get her to laugh at his names.

Sophie bit her lip to keep from grinning. _Oh, goodness, don't encourage him!_

Shannon trotted up to her and Elizabeth. Shannon sniffed Elizabeth with her wet nose and she giggled and squealed happily.

Sophie had to smile at that.

Suddenly, the door to Havenfield opened, revealing Biana. "You guys!" she scooded. "Stop playing with the alicorns and come see your friends!"

"Friends drool, alicorns rule!" Keefe called, sticking out his tongue.

"Hey!" Sophie heard Fitz yell from inside. "Not cool, bro! You have disgraced the brotherhood! Disgraced, I tell you!"

"What about us _girls?"_ Biana asked back to him rather loudly.

"Choose your words carefully," Tam heeded. "She isn't having a good reading right now."

"You're shadow reading me?" Biana shrieked, covering up her chest and lower half like she was naked. "Tam!"

"What?" he asked innocently.

Sophie heard a rush of water and Tam scream, which most likely meant Lihn had doused him.

Sophie rolled her eyes as she made her way for the door with Elizabeth. Shannon nickered and tried to follow her in the house.

Sophie took on hand off from holding Elizabeth and patted Shannon's neck. "You can't come in, girl. Wait out here for us. We'll be right back. Then we get to fly somewhere, ok?"

The alicorn whinnied and stamped her hood in protest, but backed off and laid in the grass.

Keefe and Sophie both entered the house, and Biana greeted them kindly.

Biana hugged Sophie and Elizabeth. "Look at those adorable eyes!" Biana cooed. "Just like Sophie's! Yes, they are! Yes, they are!"

Sophie took a moment to appreciate her daughter's glittery eyes. They were a crisp, honey brown and had little flecks of ice blue and teal spiraling through them.

When Biana came over to Keefe, he opened his arms for a hug, but instead Biana pucnhed him in the arm. "I will _never_ hug a dirty boy. Especially if he isn't _my_ dirty boy."

"Foster!" Keefe whined, holding his arm. He scooted a little away from Biana in fake-ear and pouted with his lip, making it quiver as he batted his eyelashes at his girlfriend. "Are you going to let her treat me this way?"

"Maybe," Sophie giggled.

Keefe's face came to a stop as of pouting. "You're cruel," he joked.

"I know," Sophie smirked, coming over to him. She took a hand out from holding Elizabeth and tugged Keefe down by the collar of his human batman shirt, pecking his cheek.

Biana beamed like a flashlight. "You two are so cute!"

Sophie blushed fiercely -she still couldn't get over those compliments people kept throwing at them- and followed Biana as she skipped to the living room. Once there, she met with her friends all sitting on the couches and Edaline and Grady placing out food on the table in the center of the room.

Once they turned around, Edaline lit up and ran over to her daughter, squezzing the life out of her and Elizabeth.

"Hey, Mom," Sophie wheezed, crushed by the hug. Some of her friends snickered.

Edaline let go and took a step back. "Sorry. Just happy you've been coming over so often and I've been able to see you."

Grady came over a ruffled his daughter's hair, then took Elizabeth's tiny hand. "How are my favorite daughter and grandaughter doing?"

"Dad, she's your _only_ granddaughter," Sophie teased, not mentioning the daughter part, too afraid she might bring the hurt of Jolie's loss back.

"Hey," Edaline said, hooking arms with Grady, "who knows? Maybe they're will be another one someday."

Tam and Lihn both turned red, Dex held his stomach and covered his mouth, Biana and Fitz lost it, and in the shadows, Sophie knew Grizel and Sandor were exchanging glances and eyebrow raises. Sophie was too mortified to turn around and look at Keefe.

"Hey, they're right," Fitz said after he got ahold on himself. That made Sophie glare at him. Or, at least try her best to as Elizabeth played with a loose strand of her hair from her bun. "You never know with Sophie!"

"Shut up, Fitzroy," Sophie joked.

Keefe chuckled from behind. "You mean _Fitzgerald."_

"Why are you ganging up on _me?"_

"We're not, we just-"

"Fitzgerald!" Elizabeth babbled.

"Awwwww," everyone except Fitz said in unison.

"I AM _FITZ!"_

"GERALD!" Elizabeth called back.

Fitz sighed, defeated as everyone laughed. "Who can argue with her? She's cute and tiny." Fitz smiled and sat back on the couch. "Ok. Fitzgerald it is. But only for you!"

Elizabeth clapped her hands.

"Little Libby. You're so cute," Keefe saud, appearing next to Sophie and taking Elizabeth's hand.

"Libby?" Sophie asked. "ahow do you think of thess cute nicknames?"

Keefe shrugged. "They flow naturally. I have awesomeness in my veins, Foster! I could just as easily call you Sophie the Watermelon and you'd be head over heels."

"Don't call me that," she deadpanned.

"Way to ruin the mood," he teased. "How about Sophie bear?"

"Don't even go there."

"Sophasaur." **(I am so proud. Made this up by myself! Really hope this doesn't get stolen or that this has already been used...)**

"I'm not a giant repitle."

"OH MY GOODNESS, I COULD CALL YOU SOFA!"

"What the heck?"

Keefe laughed, draping an arm over her shoulders. "Nah. You'll always be Foster to me."

Sophie shrugged out of his hold when Grady looked suspiciously at them. "Good. I like Foster _way_ better."

"Of course you do!" Keefe replied, a certain 'duh' tone to his voice. "It comes off my lips!"

Sophie noticed Grady raise a brow as others giggled. "Shut up."

 **(Ok, Ik this is random, but I just went on to look at baby names... don't ask. Suddenly felt like looking up Keefe, so I did. I scrolled down to the list of famous people, and guess who was on there?**

 **Keefe Sencen, character in 'Keeper Of The Lost Cities', Shannon Messenger.**

 **YAS. KEEFE MY BABY IS FAMOUS WHY DOES THIS MAKE ME SO HAPPY THAT THEY GET RECOGNITION)**

"Well, anyway," Lihn piped up, "where are we going to stay down there?"

Everyone looked at Sophie.

Keefe smiled as he looked at her. "Foster has a great plan, I know it!"

Sophie blushed. "I _do_ have a plan."

"So, where we goin'?"

"Well," Sophe started when everyone anxiously looked at her, "a little bit of a backstory to start. When I was in the Forbidden Cities, I didn't have friends, right?"

They nodded, not sure where she was going with this.

"So," Sophie said, "my human mom got me a penpal."

"Pen _what?"_

 _"Pineapple?"_ Dex asked at the same time Biana said, _"Pom pom?"_

"Penpal," Sophie corrected.

"Your mom got you a pen for a friend? That's low," Tam said.

"NO," Sophie said. "A penpal is someone you can send letters back and forth to. It's like a foreign friend."

"Humans are weird," Lihn breathed.

As others murmured their agreement, Sophie resisted the urge to facepalm her forehead, and bit her tongue to keep from snapping back something like, _my family was human for thirteen years of my life, and they raised me fine!_

"Anyways, I was thinking we could... pay them a little visit."

"You think they're gonna just let _all_ of us stay at their house?" Dex asked incredulously.

"Well, Isabelle was always very nice, and-"

"Isabelle?"

"That was her name."

"How about her parents?" Fitz asked.

"Sandy and Alex Crawford."

"Only child?" Biana asked.

Sophie nodded and clenched her teeth as Elizabeth tugged on a strand of her haid. "Yep. Except... I haven't spoken to her for years, so things could have changed."

"If Foster thinks this is a good idea, it's good," Keefe said, defending hsi girlfriend.

"None of us ever said it's a bad idea. Just... risky, " Dex said honestly. "But, hey. Our whole lives are built off and around risk, am I right?"

Everybody giggled, which made Elizabeth squeal.

"You children are impossible to take chargenof," Grizel said from a corner, then stepping forward and appearing out of the shadows.

"Hi, Grizel!" Sophie greeted. She hadn't seen her in forever!

"Hello, Sophie."

"So, where do they live?" Tam asked, bringing everyone back to the present.

Sophie smiled. "Any of you remember Italy?"

* * *

 **Feeling the sudden urge to rename Jellybean...**

 **I chose Elizabeth because that is Sophie's middle namw, and when you look up yhe meaning, it means, 'God's promise or 'God's blessing' suggesting, as she is defintely, a blessing.**

 **But... now I've been searching up other names that mean gift or blessing...**

 **Oh no.**


	23. Power Couple Of The World

**M &M (Guest) ****_(THIS CAN ALSO BE FOR ANYONE ELSE!)_** **(** ** _from your review on a chapter... a few chapters back. I apologise for being too lazy to look at which specific chapter. i think it was called, '-IMPORTANT!-'.):_** **I'm so sorry, but I can't put on here what I have on Wattpad! See, what it is is a outfit voting poll thing I put up for Sophie :) Pretty much, I have three different types.**

 **Formal attire, normal attire, and party attire.**

 **There will be a chapter in this story where each of those types of clothes will be shown or used, and I wanted readers to have a chance to help out with the story. So, what I did was picked out a bunch of different clothing pictures and put them up on Wattpad for people to vote on in the comments section!**

 **I guess I could try to put the links in a chapter on if you or anyone else want in on that voting experience...?**

 **Just needed to get that out there!**

* * *

"ITALY?" BIANA ASKED.

"Yep," Sophie grinned.

"NO!" Biana groaned. "No more naked staues!"

"Naked what?" Sandor asked as Grizel stifled a laugh.

"Yeah, what do you mean, naked statues?" Tam asked as Lihn turned red.

Sophie rolled her eyes as a couple of the boys snickered. They could be so immature at times! "A couple years ago, right before we met you guys, we went to a Forbidden City called Italy. Italy has a lot of art pieces, and we ran into the section where at that period of time, they were studying the human body. "

"That's... disturbing," Lihn mumbled sheepsihly.

Sophie surpresed a sigh. "C'mon, now. It's not that bad. We're all either seventeen, eighteen or nineteen here, minus the adults. We've all accepted the facts that we've got opposite gender friends and have different body types."

"Whoa, Foster. Whoa."

"Oh, chill," she snapped and he chuckled. "Mature a little."

"I'm mature," he said, deepening his voice and waggling his eyebrows.

Sophie had to hold back a smile. "Very..."

Elizabeth giggled in her arms as Sophie squinted in pain when she pulled much too hard on her hair. "No, no, Libby," Keefe said, getting into action and slipping Elizabeth from Sophie's into his own arms. "Pulling on hair is bad."

Sophie tucked the loose strand of hair behind her ear and grinned , bendoing ocer and kissing Elizabeth's forehead. "Especially if it's Daddy's. He'll go nuts."

"Hey! What's wrong with being slightly passionate about my hair?"

"The fact that you _are_ passionate about your hair," Tam countered.

"Says Bangs Boy over here." Keefe smirked as he looked at Elizabeth and bent over, giving her an eskimo kiss. "Don't worry, I'll always protect you from the Big Bad Bangs Boy," he cooed.

Sophie snorted out a laugh. "She loves you way too much."

"I know. Who can resist the Keefster?"

Tam raised his hand. "I can."

"Besides him."

Fitz, Dex, Biana and Lihm immediately raised their hands.

"I will unfriend you all on Impartstagram!" Keefe threatened. **(Lol. Elvin social media be like)**

Sophie snorted a uncontrollable laugh, and then Tam pointed out, "But you blocked me already!"

Keefe smirked a wide-open, white-toothed smirk full of mischief. "I know!"

"Back on topic," Sophie interjected slowly.

"Right."

"What's our plan for getting there, now? We've all the sudden got, like, five-plus people."

"Three," Sophie corrected. But they were right. This was going to be harder than last time.

Now they had Sophie pregnant, a five-month-old child, and two goblins. Not to mention they were elves and had a passy of alicorns ready to fly and teleport them around.

They would blend in _so_ well...

"Anyone have a couple obscurers handy?"

Everyone's hands rifled through their pockets. "Got one!" Dex called, holding the gadget up in the air.

"Me too," Fitz added.

"Good. I guess... Hmm. We won't need the alicorns after we get to Italy, so... We can just heabe them teleport back here so that we don't have to worry about hidng them. Then, we could sheild Grizel and Sandor with the, or a, Obscurer."

Keefe ruffled Sophie's hair. "What a brilliant mind!"

Sophie blushed. "Uh... sure."

"You two are like a freaking power couple," Biana snorted.

Soohie froze as Grady eyed them even more suspiciously. Keefe obviously forgot about the 'secret' rule, as he grabbed Sophie's hand in his and held it up high. Then he brought it back down and leaned over, giving her the quickest peck on the lips. Barely there, but noticeable. "Power couple of the world!"

Sophie glared at Biana and Keefe who immediately wilted at the sight of Grady's stormy expression.

 _Crap_.


	24. Alicorn Seating

**M &M: I know you didn't review, so... This is just a note to you.**

 **I've been reading other fanfics and have been seeing how when you tell people about how you changed your name, you tell them about me and it's always soooooooo sweet! I gush everytime I see one. Thank you! :D**

* * *

"HOLD UP!" GRADY INTERJECTED.

"Dad, don't freak out, _please!"_

"He just _kissed_ you, Sophie! That Boy just _kissed you,_ and you tell me to _not freak out?_ You're not even dating and out of the blue-"

Fitz and Biana were covering their mouths as they doubled over with laughter, while Dex, Lihn and Tam were smiling at each other knowingly.

"Dad, can we talk about this another time, because-"

"He didn't even consult with me before-"

Sophie rolled her eyes. "Now he has to ask before everytime he kisses me?"

"HE'S DONE IT BEFORE?"

Sophie buried her face, embarrassed, with Elizabeth. Her daughter giggled and used the chance to tug at her mother's hair.

"Yes," she mumbled.

Grady looked around at everyone who was smirking, snorting or laughing uncontrolably.

"You knew?" Grady asked as Edaline covered her mouth to conceal her smile.

She shrugged innocently. "They're so gosh darn cute, and you'd never approve of-"

"How long?" He asked incredulously to a seriously red Sophie.

Sophie started to count mentally. "Uh.. ur... five, six, seven... umm... Awhile."

"A _loooooong_ while," Keefe added, smirking as he wrapped his arm around Sophie, which was not helping the cause any further.

"Keefe," she mutter-hissed.

Grady pointed a finger at him. "You and I will be having a VERY long conversation when you all return, hear me?"

"Loud and clear," Keefe confirmed, winking and giving him a salute.

Sophie groaned in annoyance. Could he not try to make Grady any more pissed? She already had dug herself into a trench, she didn't need help making it into a canyon.

She was just happy he was letting her and Keefe off the hook for then. "Alright, guys, let's get going," Sophie decided.

* * *

GETTING SETTLED ON THE ALICORNS WAS... MESSY.

After several times of re-grouping on the poor winged-creature's backs, they all came to one conclusion.

"We can't all possibly fit!"

Sophie sighed as Elizabeth snored in her arms. Of course, the one time her energetic child decides to sleep, they can't get done what they needed to.

Lihn pursed her pale lips and looked over her brother's shoukder quizzically at him, then she glanced at everyone else. "Then what are we going to do?"

Sophie shrugged. "We'll have to take more thsn one trip. Now about the elves go first, no offense to Sandor or Grizel, and then the alicorns can come back here and-"

"You're suggesting we leave you alone in a Forbidden City?" Grizel gawked.

"That's exactly what I'm suggesting."

"C'mon!" Fitz said when she laughed. "It'll only be for literally a few seconds."

"And we're all either seventeen, eighteen or nineteen," Biana added. "Teenagers. Almost adults."

"That's precisely what worries us. Teenagers being left alone for a few seconds. Never works out."

"It works out just fine!" Sophie protested.

"Says the teenage elf holding her newborn."

"Hey!"

Sandor sighed, but it came out as more of a high-pitched wheeze. "You promise to not get in any trouble for the matter of seconds we are absent?"

"Promise," they said in unison.

"And to not wander off?"

"Promise."

Sandor, Grizel, Grady and Edaline all exchanged glances. Finally, the gang got a nod.

"Yes!" Sophie celebrated. "Alright... do you guys have some slumberberry tea I could give to Elizabeth so she won't wake up when we're falling?"

Edaline nodded and ran into the house, then not a moment later it seemed, came back with a small baby bottle half full of a pink-ish liquid.

Sophie carefully stuck it into her child's mouth and Jellybean sleepily and groggily fluttered her eyes open. She took the bottle willingly and not too soon later was conked out.

Sophie kissed her forehead tenderly and whispered, "Good night," as she stuck the bottle in her sweatshirt pocket.

She looked up and grinned as she took one arm off from holding Elizabeth and waved goodbye to her parents.

Then, she used that hand to intertwine Shannon's mane haie in her fingers so she had a good grip, and with the one cradling Elizabeth, she held firm. Sophie closed her eyes and focused on the command she was about to give Siveny.

 _Go! Off the edge of the cliff! Teleport to Italy!_

Silveny whinnied and galloped away, causing the others to follow her pursuit. Finally, they plummeted off the edge of the Cliffside Pastrures cliff.

Sophie quickly sent Silveny an image of Venice, thriving mostly modern town in the heart of the scenic boot-shaped country.

Lightning thundered and the void was opened.

* * *

 **Guys, just you wait for the drama ahead.**

 **I wish I could spoil it for you!**

 **AHHHHHHHHHHHH**

 **Also, sorry for the non-well-written chappie :(**

 **Well, here's a small hint or clue or whatever.**

 _ **Dogado, Venice.**_

 **;)**


	25. Venice

THE SCENE GLITTERED INTO PLACE SLOWLY AS SOPHIE AND HER FRIENDS ALL TELEPORTED TO VENICE.

Oddly, the group ended up on the shingled roof of a house. It was tall and lean, like a miniature apartment building, that was squished up together next to other houses of the same style. Sophie noticed a little scooter driving along a cobble road.

The sun was low in the sky. Night would you come very soon.

"Venice," she said.

After a few more seconds of looking around as if in a daydream, Sophie snapped out of it and slid off Shannon. "You guys need to get back to the Lost Cities," she said to the alicorn.

Everyone else hopped off, making sure to be stealthy and keep low to the building's roof shingles so that no one would see them. The alicorns nickered, but then jumped and ascended into the big blue sky, right before they dove down and teleported away.

Sophie peered down at Elizabeth who was still sleeping in her arms. She was glad the slumberberry tea hadn't worn off, and the little rascal was still asleep.

"Where's Isabelle's house?" Dex asked.

"Hmmm... If I remember the address correctly..."

Sophie looked down at the street and peered around until she saw a intersection in the road with a sign. "Hmm... We should head down that road."

"What road?" Lihn repeated.

"That. Right there."

"Oh."

Fitz peered over the edge. "How do we get down from the roof?"

Sophie's mind immedietly went to images of them climbing down a chimney like Santa Clause. But to none of their help, there was no chimney.

It was Italy. It was hot. They didn't need fireplaces or chimneys.

So she looked around for another option. She finally spotted two metal poles poking up onto the roof. She drowned, her forehead creasing, and she went over to investiagte. "It's a ladder!"

"Foster and her genius brain."

Sophie blushed. "I only found a ladder..."

"And _we_ didn't. Thus proving my point."

Getting down the ladder with Elizabeth was a little more difficult than Sophie had envisioned. Eventually, though, the tough process was successful and they made it onto the street.

They made their way down the street Sophie thought was to Isabelle's house and a few people passed them on the streets. One girl with dark black hair smiled at Elizabeth and stopped. "Is this your sister?"

Sophie forced her own smile and switched to Italian. "No. This is my kid."

At first she could a skeptical look from her, but then she grinned. "How cute. How old is she?"

"Five months."

"Aww."

Sophie grinned wider. "Thank you."

"Hey, no problem. She's adorable." She outsrteched her hand. "My name is Raven."

Sophie took one arm off her daughter and shook Raven's hand. "Sophie."

"Nice to meet you. I hope I'll see you again!" Raven said as she bounced off.

"Who was she?" Tam asked.

Sophie shrugged. "Some girl named Raven. She said she thought Elizabeth was cute."

"Aw," Keefe said, "little Jellybean."

"Where do we go?" Biana asked, bringing them back to the present.

"We keep going down this street," Sophie guessed.

"You don't sound too confident..." Fitz pointed out.

Sophie laughed. "Well, I haven't exactly been to this specific part of Italy."

"Wait, wait, wait. You actually don't know where we're going?" Tam exclaimed.

"I have a relative location."

"Do you even know the address?"

Sophie scoffed. "Yes, I know the address!"

Dex was looking around suddenly, for something specific.

"Whatcha need?" Sophie asked.

"I really wish we had a electronic. I could download some software to tell us where to go."

Sophie snapped her fingers. "My iPod! It has Google Maps on it! Great idea, Dex."

Dex turned red with praise and Sophie turned her back to Keefe. "Could you grab my iPod out?"

Keefe nodded and started fishing for it in her purple backpack, then randomly spoke up. "You know, I think you should let me carry this."

"It's a backpack!" Sophie protested. "And you're already carrying your own."

Keefe found the iPod with its panda case on it and zipped back up the backpack pocket, then handed it to Sophie. "You're carrying Ellie. And Kenric."

Sophie sighed as she furiously tapped on the iPod screen with her one thumb, since her other hand was taken with holding Jellybean on her arm. "I'm fine. And-ah! Yes!"

Sophie clicked into the Maps app and began to type in Isabelle's address. She paused mid-type as something scratched at the back of her brain.

She was forgetting something...

Well, not forgetting. She couldn't forget. It was more a matter of her not being able to recall.

After a couple seconds of standing and being still-as-a-statue, it finally clicked. "Crap!"

"What?" Dex questioned worriedly.

"What happened?" Lihn also said.

"How could I do that? How did I not instantly realize? How did that stupid bit of information stupidly leave my thoughts so fast?! Arrrrrgggghhh!" she groaned

"What?" Keefe asked loudly.

"We were supposed to wait back there for Sandor and Grizel! They're going to kill us!"

Keefe burst into laughter, sending a couple others along with him.

"It's not funny!" Sophie whined.

"I know," Keefe said, holding his stomach as more laughter poured out. "We're screwed! That's what's funny!"

Sophie bit her lip to hold back her giggle. " Not funny, " she mumbled, though she was grinning.

"Is too."

"Well, why don't we get a move on?"

"But Sandor a-"

"Foster," Keefe started, "Sandor and Grizel are goblins. They can easily find us even if we move on ahead without them."

"But that will only make them more mad!"

Keefe smirked devilishly. "Now you're catching on."

Sophie rolled her eyes. "Fine. Let's get a move on. Maps says at this pace, we'll arrive at Isabelle's in... twenty three minutes."

Fitz clapped his hands together. "Let's go!"


	26. Greetings

WHEN THEY ARRIVED AT THE HOUSE, IT HAD GONE ALMOST COMPLETELY DARK. Only a sliver of the golden sun could be seen on the horizon as it sank into what seemed like the earth itself.

Sophie blew out an anxious breath as she stepped up to the light blue house. It was tall and lean, looking more like a minature apartment building squished up against other houses alike to it in many ways."Do I just. . . ring the doorbell?"

Most her friends shrugged. "Yeah."

"What if it isn't her? What if she moved?"

The whole Keeper gang exchanged looks that shared the same worry and suspense. Sophie resisted the urge to suck in a breath as the door opened.

There was a rather tall and lean girl, much alike Stina's stature, who held the door handle. Her hair was pitch black and her eyes were a dark chestnut brown, the black pupil barrly visible. Her face was more of a round one, but she still managed to look pretty, for a human.

"Who are you?" She peeked out the door at everyone. ". . . All of you . . ?"

"Uh, hi. You're Isabelle, right?" Sophie asked awkwardly.

The girl scrunched her nose up confused when she was Elizabeth in her arms and her baby bump. Her eyes stayed glued to the two as she asked, "How do you know my name?"

"I'm Sophie and I may or may not know you."

"Uh . . . "

"It'll take a bit of explanation," Sophie warned.

"I've got awhile," Isabelle confirmed, still looking at Jellybean and Sophie's baby bump.

"We don't," Keefe muttered. He was clearly annoyed they weren't getting in the house as fast as he'd hoped. Sophie did admit she wasn't too thrilled, either, but she had to take this slow to not come off as a stalker.

"I was your penpal a long time ago."

Her forehead creased. "I had a penpal?"

Oh goodness, people without photographic memories can be so cringy at times . . .

"Yeah."

Her forehead stayed creased for a moment as she inspected Sophie with her sight, then it must have clicked because she lit up. "Oh!"

Sophie nodded. "Uh huh."

"Wait . . . why are you here? And who are all these people?"

"Uh, these are all my friends. This is Tam, Lihn, Keefe, Fitz, Biana and Dex," Sophie answered, poiting to each and every one of them.

They all smiled and waved when they were called, and at the end, Isabelle waved awkardly and gave a tight smile.

"The names get some taking used to," Sophie advised.

She slowly nodded, then looked down at Elizabeth and Sophie's baby bump again. She carefully lifted a finger and pointed. "And, uh . . ?"

"Elizabeth, and this is Kenric."

"And they're . . ?"

"Yes. They're mine."

"Oh, uh . . . I see. Well, what do you all need?"

Sophie looked around at all her friends, then back to Isabelle. "We are . . . on a college field trip and need a place to stay."

Isabelle rose a brow. "They didn't get you all rooms at a hotel?"

Sophie shook her hesd. "Not the best college," she whispered as if giving advice. Sophie ponted to her baby bump and Elizabeth. "The teachers and staff don't really care what happens, so . . . these are my kids!"

Isabelle awkwardly looked at all of Sophie's fri new, who weren't talking. "Do they not speak . . ?"

They all all poured into the house and took off their boots awkwardly. "Umm . . ." Isabelle started, looking at Keefe. She blushed and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, looking toward a doorway. Well, more like a curved hallway with a crescent shaped ceiling. "Mom? Dad?"

"Yeah, sweetheart?" A woman's voice called.

"Uh . . . My, uh . . . Friends from school are over here."

Isabelle looked back at all of them and shrugged at her quick lie.

"Friends? Oh, you've never introduced us to them!"

There was a clatter like she had just dropped a frying pan or something, followed by the shuffling of feet. A woman appeared, looking much alike to Jsabelle with the same dark hair. The only difference was their eyes. While Isabelle had chestnut brown eyes, her mother had royal blue. "Oh!" She said surprisingly. "I didn't know you had so many, _tesoro!"_

"Ugh," she moaned. "Mama! Don't call me darling."

"Oh, sorry, Isa. I'm just excited!"

Sophie looked at all her friends, who were helpless as to what they were saying. She turned to Isabelle's mother. "My friends cannot speak your language, unfortunately. I hope this brings no division between us."

"No, of course not! Just, do you mind if I ask something?"

"Ask away."

"You friends do not speak the language, yet they are at the school?"

"Uh . . . yes. They are foreign exchange students."

"Ah, I see. Also . . ."

Sophie noticed her eyes had trailed lower. "Yes. These are my children. Meet Elizabeth and little Kenric."

"What adorable names! How did you ever come up with them? They're so unique."

Sophie was surprised she didn't get the usual scowl like she would when she told people she was a teen mom. "Just . . . uh . . . talked em' over with my boyfriend."

Isabelle's nose scrunched up at the mention of a boyfriend.

"Oh, how lovely," Isabelle's mom said. "Alex! Come in here, won't you? Meet Isa's friends!"

A man trudged into the living room with a groan, and he was wiping his rather large hands with a kitchen towel. He smiled. "Hello."

"Hi," Sophie greeted.

"Isa's other friends cannot speak to us. They are foreign exchange students," Sandy, Isabelle's mom, explained.

"Ah, I see.'

"I can translate for them," Sophie offered. "Then you may speak to them, if you'd like."

'What a wonderful idea! How did you learn to speak so fluently to us?"

"Self taught," Sophie said. "Opened up a book a decided I needed to get going."

Sandy laughed. "How amazing. Isa, don't you think that would be fun?"

"Uh . . . sure."

"So," Sandy said, "would you all like to stay over?"

"Oh, that would be wonderful. Yes, please. Thank you," Sophie said.

 _Well, that was easier than she had expected._


	27. Theodore

_**Nightfall summary . . .**_

 **Sophie and her friends face battles unlike anything they've seen before in this thrilling sixth book of the _New York Times_ and _USA TODAY_ bestselling Keeper of the Lost Cities series.**

 **Sophie Foster is struggling. Grieving. Scrambling. But she knows one thing: she will not be defeated.**

 **The Neverseen have had their victories—but the battle is far from over. It's time to change tactics. Make sacrifices. Reexamine everything. Maybe even time for Sophie to trust her enemies.**

 **All paths lead to Nightfall—an ominous door to an even more ominous place—and Sophie and her friends strike a dangerous bargain to get there. But nothing can prepare them for what they discover. The problems they're facing stretch deep into their history. And with time running out, and mistakes catching up with them, Sophie and her allies must join forces in ways they never have before.**

 **In this spectacular sixth book in the _New York Times_ and _USA TODAY_ bestselling Keeper of the Lost Cities series, Sophie must uncover the truth about the Lost Cities' insidious past, before it repeats itself and changes reality.**

 ***fangirling so hard***

* * *

SOPHIE WAS GETTING ANNOYED AT HOW FRUSTRATING IT WAS TO TRANSLATE. BUT, SHE KEPT IT TO HERSELF.

"So, where are you all originally from?"

"Mmm . . . San Diego. We moved last summer."

"How funny!" Sandy exclaimed. "All of you are friends and you all moved to the exact same place. Lucky."

Sophie laughed. "We're all bound to one another. We'll always stick together."

"How did you meet my Isa?"

"Mom," Isabelle groaned. "You know I hate that nickname."

"Shush, _tesoro,"_ she hushed.

"Actually, she met us."

"She came up to you?"

"Yep."

"Wow. How brave. I'm proud of you. I know you're shy."

Isabelle rolled her eyes and was probably very glad the rest of Sophie's friends could not translate.

Elizabeth was wiggling in Sophie's arms, and babbling in the Enlightened Language, so Sophie grabbed a blueberry out of a snacks bowl filled to the brim with fruit, on the coffee table in front of her. She gave it to the five-month old and she chewed it up.

The living room had to have only been a good 13ft by 13ft room, but that was only because it connected with the section of the house where you entered. There was one couch, a small chair, a coffee table, a small stand next to the chair with a lamp on it, and a TV mounted up on the wall.

Sophie was about to ask Sandy something when Alex, Isabelle's dad, walked inside the house from outside, for she heard a door creak open and slam shut. She gasped when a puppy trotted around the corner, quick-as-lightning. She heard the puppy's claws clack on the wood floor and he bolted around giddily, barking.

She couldn't tell if he was happy or angry that they had intruded his home.

"This is Theodore, but we sometimes call him Theo," Alex said. "He likes newcomers, so don't worry."

Theodore had fur that looked curly and stuck to him, all a mix of gray and black. He ran up beside Sophie on the couch and propped his paws up on one of the cushions, sniffing Elizabeth. She giggled at the dog's wet nose.

 **(My little Theo . . . Did you know these people are real? All including da wittle puppy!)**

Keefe took Elizabeth in his arms as Theodore jumped up on the couch. He padded onto Sophie's legs and spun around in a circle a few times before flopping down. She laughed and pet the dog behind the ears. "Hi, Theo," she said in the Enlightened Language, so her friends would know what to call the puppy. She pet him underneath and behind the ears, and he plopped his head down, closing his eyes in relaxation, clearly liking the attention.

"Aw, Theo's got a girlfriend," Sandy cooed and even Isabelle smiled.

Sophie laughed. "Keefe's being replaced."

Keefe rose a brow at her at the mention of his name, clearly wondering what they were conversing about.

"Don't worry," she said in the Enlightened Language. "You'll just have to up your game, is all."

"So . . . what?" he asked in utter confusion.

She giggled. "Nothing."

"Just to clarify," said Alex, drawing Sophie's attention, "you are staying over?"

She smiled. "If it's ok."

"Completely," agreed Alex. "As long as your parents . . ."

"Oh, yeah. They're good. Say, I can text them if you need me to."

"Oh no. We'll trust you. Let's just set up everyone's sleeping areas."

* * *

 **WAIT TILL THE DRAMA ENSUES AND SORRY FOR THE WORLD'S CRAPPIEST AND SHORTEST CHAPTER. MORE COMING SOOOOON!**


	28. HELPHELPHELPHELP

HELPHELP HELP PLZ I'M BAWLING I'M SOBBING IN BED NO JOKE HELP ME

Someone on Wattpad took my story, Two Young Hearts. They literally just copy-n-pasted the description, my A/N's, my chapters, everything

I'm crying I don't know what to do... Her or his name is Keefe_Is_Bae , what do I do, what to do? I don't want to be rude. I don't know what to do... I'm sobbing. This actually broke my heart. Why am I so sad?

What do I do?


	29. LOL

**HAHAHA lol i'm laughing my butt off. She took the story down cuz, like, five people reported her. Then she sent me a PM. Here is the exact thing with no changes, not even for grammar**

* * *

Keefe_Is_Bae: _I'm am so sorry for the misunderstanding! all credit goes to you! please don't be mad, I didn't realize it wa yours. I was imformed by several people about this issue and deleted it right away without any problems! hopefully everything is okay!_

* * *

 **Hahaha, actually everything really wasn't ok, I went and spammed my stories with chapters titled, "HELPHELPHELPHELPHELPHELP". Also, you didn't know it was my story? How? And are you saying you'd do that to other people? Lol, I'm laughing so hard. My response...(note that I was trying not to be rude)**

* * *

Me: _No problem, sweetheart :) Thank you for correcting the issue, though!_

* * *

Keefe_Is_Bae: _I was noted that you were sad so I didn't want to to give up on anything_

* * *

Keefe_Is_Bae: _however, I was wondering if maybe we could work together on a story together and give each other credit... it's just so it heals our friendship as fellow wattpadians_

* * *

 **So now I'm healing my relationship... Ya...** **Let's see what happens as I embark on _this_ new journey...**


	30. Kitchen Confrontations

SOPHIE AWOKE TO SUNLIGHT STREAMING IN THROUGH THE WINDOWS, A SOFTLY SOBBING JELLYBEAN, AND A PARTICULAR PUPPIE'S pink, rough tongue licking her face.

"Ugh, get off, Theo," she moaned, sitting upwards and stretching her arms above her head. Jellybean was beside her on the makeshift bed on the floor of the living room, arms up and outstretched towards her mother. Sophie rubbed her eyes sleepily as she picked up the five month old, cradling her in her arms and setting her on her lap. "You hungry, Ellie?"

The miniature dirty blonde gave a nod of her head while pouting her lower lip and Sophie grinned. "Aww, baby . . . C'mon," she grunted, heaving herself and Elizabeth up, then placing her on her hip as she stelped over all of her other friends lying hazardoulsy on the floor, aiming to get to the kitchen.

Once she did, she began shuffling around inside the fridge. "Maybe there's some fruit around here or some thing. . ." Sophie grinned to herself inside the fridge as Elizabeth laughed for no apparent reason and jumped giddily on her hip. "Daddy! Daddy!"

"Yes, honey. We'll see Daddy when he gets up from- AH!"

Sophie jumped backwards in fear and clutched both arms protectively around Elizabeth when two arms came from behind and wrapped around her waist, tugging her up against them. She let out a relieved breath, figuring out who it was as Elizabeth giggled, pouting at the person behind her. "Daddy!"

Keefe laid chin on top of Sophie's head after planting a quick kiss on it. "Morning," he greeted huskily, obviously still tired.

"Did I really wake you?" she groaned. "I'm sorry. I should have been more quiet. Do you think I woke anyone else up?" she grimaced, expecting to hear anyone chorus moans and then anyone llr of her groggy friends would trudge into the kitchen with bed head.

"Nah. I just automatically wake up whenever you do."

"Is that supposed to be a light joke to make me feel better?"

"Halfway yes and halfway no."

Sophie rolled her eyes at him and smirked. Then she looked at her daughter and was amused at how Elizabeth seemed taken by her father. Her precious eyes were fixed on him as she chewed on her fist with one hand and then tried to reach his hair with the other.

"She loves you," Sophie pointed out, snuggling her head back into Keefe.

He chuckled. "I know. We both ended up getting our own fan clubs," he joked, placing his hands over her baby bump.

Sophie gave a breathless laugh, trying not to let her already watering eyes spill over with tears at the thought of Kenric leaving her. She should really tell him . . .

"So, what's the plan for today? And how are we getting to London?"

Sophie bit her lips in thought. "Oh, gosh. I never really early thought about how if we stayed here, we'd be reallly far away."

"Like, really really far away?" he questioned, sounding nervous.

"Well, not that far away, but . . ."

"A decent amount?" he guessed.

She nodded as he began to caress her lower abdomen.

He laughed as he kissed her head again. "Oh, Miss F, what have you gotten us into now?"

"Mmm, nothing . . ."

He shook his head as he grinned. "And you ask me why you're called mysterious."

"Hey," she defended.

"Are you trying to ditch us?" An angry voice demanded behind them in a harsh whisper.

Sophie grimaced as Keefe released her and they both swung around to meet seven foot goblins. "What we're you thinking?" Sandoz scolded in his squeaky voice.

"We didn'the try!" Sophie promised, afraid he was going to force everyone to go home. "We forgot and then we started walking and-"

Grizel barked a laugh as she crossed her arms. "Claims the two with photographic memories!"

"No, really," Keefe spoke up. "It slipped our minds. Yes, we didn'the truly forget, we just . . . Didn'the recall at that exact moment."

Sandie and Grizel both didn'the look satisfied.

"Gigantor, c'mon," Keefe urged. "You really think I would let your girl here get hurt? It's like old tI messaged, right? I drag Foster off with Glitterbutt and we come back completely fine."

"You mean Sophie had been drugged, almost killed, you got attacked, then Silveny broke her wing?"

"Details, details. Sheesh, live a little."

Sandor pinched the bridge of his big flat nose. "Mr. Sencen, you do realise those details could have prevented you from, 'living a little' or living any longer, if they had occurred with different outcomes?"

"Someone's positive today," he teased.

Sophie sighed. "We'really honestly sorry, but right now, you need to hide. We're in a humans house and they could wake up and come downstairs at any moment. And you can'take just hide in the shadows this time. You need a secluded, private place where no one can find you. Or at least fairly private."

"And leave you all alone again? I don'the think so."

"Please! Just hide in the backyard or something! It's small, but I really doubt they go back there often."

Sandor glared at the two teenagers. "You both disappointed me. I thought we could trust you."

"I'm really sorry, Sandor," Sophie apologised, passing the squirming Elizabeth to Keefe and looking at the floor. "I didn't mean to run off like that or make your job harder. I'm sorry to you, too, Grizel."

The two goblins glanced at one another momentarily, then their arms dropped to their aides. "It's fine, but you will NOT do that again. Are we clear?"

"Crystal," Keefe answered with a salute.

"Alright. We'llr be outside, then."

Sophie nodded and pointed the two goblins to a door in the kitchen that led outback to the yard that was fenced off.

She blew out a relieved breath when she shut the door and took Elizabeth back in her arms. "I thought they would be way more mad."

"You scared of them?"

"Pssh, no. Just . . . Scared of what would happen if they told Grady." She gave a playful shudder and Keefe laughed. "Good motive."

"Soooo . . ." Sophie began, pulling a high chair up to the dining table and setting Elizabeth down in it. Sandy had gotten that out for them last night, saying it had been Isabelle's when she was younger. Sophie began shuffling through the fridge again and decided on making a mini fruit salad for Elizabeth. She brought the ties of the counter and grabbed out a knife and cutting board and said he tarred chopping the various fruits. "Isabelle seemed pretty keen on you last night," she reminded and a lump formed in her throat.

Isabelle had flirted with him basically the whole night and Sophie was really glad Keefe couldn't understand what the dark haired Italian was saying. Sandy had seen Isabelle's activity and had pulled Sophie aside halfway through the night.

"That's your boyfriend, correct?" she had asked, pouting to Keefe on the couch, holding Elizabeth. Isabelle had been sitting next to him, chattering away.

Sophie's insides had twisted at the sight, especially when she saw Keefe smiling at her and nodding like they were having a intimate conversation. Maybe that was what Keefe -or anyone else- felt like when her and Fitz had telepathic conversations. But they had are excuse! They were training to become Cognates!

Her stomach turned sour when Elizabeth sneezed and Isabelle used the time to snuggle up closer against Keefe and cooed all over Sophie's child.

She swallowed thickly and nodded at Sandy, feeling slightly guilty for feeling that tiny amount of hatred and jealousy towards Sandy's own daughter. She also felt awkward knowing Keefe was probably feeling her emotions.

But to be fair, if he was thinking that was the cause of her bad mood, he probably would have come to her and confronted the issue, but since hadn't, Sophie was guessing he didn't have a clue to why her mood was sour.

"I apologise about that, sweetheart," she said. "My daughter, she . . ."

"N-no, it's . . ."

Sophie scooped the fruit she chopped into a bowl and Keefe shrugged. "I'm not so sure. What do you mean?"

"Umm . . . Well . . . She kind of . . ."

Keefe looked at her and pursed his lips. "She talked to me. Is that what you're . . ? I didn't understand what she was saying."

"I know, I just . . ."

"Are you ok?"

She chewed on her lower lip. "Yeah."

"Is there anything you . . ?"

"You know, nevermind. I . . . It's stupid."

It's not like he was cheating on her. And it's not like he would.

Why was she freaking out?

* * *

 **Yeah, Sophie. Why are you freaking out? I'm a friendly author, aren't I . . ?**

 **Also, sorry for any grammar errors. I'm typing on a phone . . ..**


	31. Reassurance & Bonds

SOPHIE PLAYED WITH JELLYBEAN AND THEODORE AT THE SAME TIME, playfully crawling around on the floor after the two.

Jellybean would giggle when Sophie would blow rasberry's on her cheeks or stomach and it always brought a smile to Sophie's lipa. It was such a beautiful sound and made anyone who listened feel so filled with joy. I mean, who could resist her laughter?

"Ellie the Jellybean," Sophie cooed, bending over and rubbing their noses together. Elizabeth let out a happy squeal and Sophie chuckled and some of her friends appalled looks. "It sounds like I'm murdering her!"

"Yeah, for having a dad who's an Empath, she sure has her emotions mixed up," Dex teased.

"No kidding!"

"When are Sandy and Alex coming back?" Lihn asked lazily from one of the couches. Sandy and Alex had gone out to the store about twenty minutes ago to buy some groceries for breakfast, and they hadn't yet returned. "I don't know," Sophie said with a shrug.

Sophie peered up the steep flight of stairs that was quite small. "Isabelle sleeps in really late."

Fitz snorted out a laugh. "Apparently."

"Something about her . . ." Biana started. She sighed. "It just feels weird. I know she's been a good person to us so far, but . . ."

Sophie rose a brow. "But . . ?"

"I feel like she's going to do something to one of us."

Tam laughed. "Do you mean she's gonna murder us?"

"No!" Biana exclaimed, flushing pink. Sophie knew she didn't like to embarrass herself in front of Tam. "I just . . . Ugh, nevermind. It just felt weird in my gut, and I normally go with my gut, but maybe this time I'm wrong."

Sophie had a sneaking suspicion she _wasn't_ wrong. Isabelle had changed over the years. Sophie imagined her as one of those girls who always wore mini skirts and crop tops to school, despite if there was a dress code.

She was something else, all right. She could tell she was a troublemaker and rule breaker . . . Just like Keefe, _dang it!_

She tried to push the thought away and focus on playing with her daughter and the playful puppy before her.

Sophie looked up when she saw a pair of feet come beside her and Elizabeth. She found Keefe towering over her, and soon he leaned her over and messed up her already messy bun a little with a smirk, then placed the hand on her back. "Want to talk for a second? I have something to tell you," he said quietly.

It felt a little awkward knowing everyone was watching abd listening - well, not everyone. Lihn, Dex and Tam were conversing, compltely unaware of their surroundings- but Sophie nodded. "Sure."

She scooped Elizabeth into her arma and Keefe hooked his hand under her arms and helped pull her up off the floor from her criss-cross-applesauce position and Sophie went and handed Elizabeth to Fitz. She kissed the dirty blonde five-month on the forehead and ruffled Fitz's hair before taking Keefe's hand and letting him lead her off throughout the house.

Sophie was confused for a second at what he could possibly want to talk to her about, but all thoughts alike to it were pushed to the back of her mind as Keefe led her through the kitchen and then into a little doorway that led to the tiniest sunroom Sophie had ever seen.

The room jutted out on the corner of the house and was a circular shape, about 2ft in diamteres width. It was like a minature bay window, since there were plush couch cushioned bench's attached to the walls. The sun streamed in and Sophie sat down on the bench and laned back up against the warm glass and took ahold of a decorative pillow laying nearby, squishing it to her chest like a stuffed animal. Keefe came and sat beside her, draping an arm across her shoulders.

Sophie leaned into him and peered up at him and he smirked down at her. "What are we doing?" she whispered dreamily as she inhaled his scent, loving how cozy she was.

"Mmm, I thought we should talk," he replied, taking a hand and brushing a stray piece of hair that had fallen out of her bun behind her ear.

"About . .?"

"Well, anything. I wanted to get some alone time in with you, you know, see how you've been doing."

She smirked. "Like you don't see me enough."

"I don't see you enough in private. We don't really have any intimate conversations. It's all bussiness."

 _Now that she thought about it . . ._

Sophie frowned and snuggled further into him. "Oh, yeah . . ."

"Wanna ask each other random questions?" he mumbled into her hair as he bent over to kiss the top of her head.

She nodded. "I'd like that."

"Really?"

"I'm with you. I think that's good enough. I could sit in silence for all I care."

Keefe laughed. "You're a poetic and emotional person, you realise that?"

"Yeah. It's all your fault. This is what I get for dating an Empath."

"Hey, hey . . . Now, listen here," Keefe began, but Sophie was already lost in a fit of giggling.

Keefe rolled his eyes and smacked a kiss to the tip of her nose, rubbing her lower abdomen. He leaned over and laid his chin on top of her head. "Alright, let's see . . . What would be the ideal romantic vacation?"

Sophie snorted and laughed. "You're becoming sappy," she warned. "Well . . . somewhere we weren't always on the run from people. Like the Councillors. Or the Neverseen. Or the Black Swan when we've screwed up."

"Or my parents," Keefe laughed.

Sophie rolled her eyes. "Your mom isn't _that_ bad."

 _"Anymore,"_ Keefe reminded with a wiggle of his eyebrows.

Sophie nodded. "True, true . . ."

"We should get a house or an apartment or something," he suddenly said. "Then we'd be able to check the parent situation off the list."

Sophie frowned. "You . . . what?" She took her head off his chest and straightened, looking at him in the eyes. "House? Apartment?" she asked, interested in where this was going.

He shrugged. "Yeah."

"I . . . It's just . . . We're boyfriend and girlfriend."

He gave a chuckle. "And?"

She cocked her head to the side in confusion and furrowed her brows. Did he not understand house buying was more of a married couple thing to do?

She shook her stare away and grabbed his hand and intertwined it with hers, then she pulled it onto her lip and she began fiddling with his fingers and carressing it with her thumb. "I don't know, I mean . . . I love you, Keefe. I really do, it's just . . . We've got to remeber we're still _teenagers_ raising a kid together. We're not married. And getting a house . . . I don't mean it's not a good idea, I am just . . ." She looked up into his eyes for a couple of seconds in silence and then fluttered her gaze away to out the window. "I don't know."

He took two fingers of the one hand that wasn't intertwined with hers and put them under her chin, then pulled it back in the direction of him so he was looking at her and Sophie's heart freaked when she saw how close they were to another. "You _do_ know," he whispered. "Tell me. Please."

She sighed through her nose and snuggled back into him, calming her tense shoulders as he rubbed the side of her arm. She was practically sprawled all over him, for she was resting her head and part of her upper torso on his chest. "Well . . . I-I'm scared," she said.

Keefe frowned. "Of what, baby?"

Sophie's corners of her mouths twitched with a glint of a smile for a couple seconds at the name, then it was gone. "I hate saying this," she whispered, "but what if we don't make it?"

"W-what?" he asked, clearly holding back a laugh. "Soph, we won't die."

"No," she groaned. "I-I mean us, Keefe. _Us_. What if . . . What if we're not a thing after all of this? Or, heck, even in a couple months. I mean I know about relationships, Keefe. And the first time boyfriend and girlfriends . . . It's not like they . . ."

"Have a future together? End up getting married?" Keefe offered.

Sophie nodded. Then she blushed madly at how she had just implied she wanted their relationship to go to marriage.

Keefe rubbed her arm tenderly and kissed the back of her neck multiple times. "I know. I'm kind of scared, too."

"I hate to think of us . . ."

"Not . . ?"

"Yeah," she finished in a hushed tone."It would be so weird if we broke up. And what about Elizabeth?"

Keefe shook his head. "I couldn't live without her or you, Soph. I couldn't . . . I couldn't do it."

Sophie heard his voice crack along the edges and that sent some tears she had been holding in rolling down her cheeks and soaking into his shirt as she clutched to gim. "Don't leave," she whispered, holding back a sob from escaping.

"I won't," he promised, enveloping her in a hug.

She held onto him like her life depended on it, like if she let go he'd instantly be a forgotten memory: somewhat like a leaf blowing away in the autumn wind or a fading Polaroid picture.

"P-promise?" she croaked, sniffling and wiping her eyes.

"I promise you, Foster. I love you. I really, _really_ love you."

But still she couldn't get past the thought of him being with another girl, and her being alone with only memories of him, because their friendship would surely be ruined in that event, too.

She covered her mouth as a sob bubbled up in her chest and part of it choked out.

Her shoulders shook as she silently cried to herself, attempting to keep it quiet so her friends in the other room wouldn't hear. But of course Keefe heard.

"Honey . . ." he said gently, wrapping her further into his warm embrace. He brought her face up to his and kissed all over; her jawline, her cheeks, her forehead, her nose, on the sides of her nose, on the salty corners of her mouth, on her eyelids, but most importantly on her lips.

She brought her hands to behind his neck and soon her arms slid around and their foreheads were pressed together. Keefe made sure she was snuggled into him amd he continued planting feathery kisses everywhere and mumbling encouraging words to her, trying his best to comfort her.

"The thought of losing you scares me," she whispered, even though Keefe shifted and closed the door for more privacy with his foot.

"That thought shouldn't even cross your mind. You'll never lose me. You understand?"

"B-but-"

"No," he assured quietly, staring into her eyes. It was slightly weird being smushed up against the glass and half of their bodies hanging off the bench as they tried to lay down in a makeshift way. But to be fair, the bay window bench was failry large.

Keefe tugged her flush up against him to the point where he took away the pillow she had been clutching. It was quiet for a bit as Sophie just breathed in the soothing scent of him and he switched from rubbing her back to rubbing her baby bump.

He calmed her, no doubt, and that was one of the reasons she loved him.

"What would you do if we broke up?" Sophie whispered suddenly, chewing on her lower lip to keep it from quivering as she buried her face in his shirt.

"Mmm . . . I'd date my ex."

Sophie's heart stopped for a second. _What?_

She slowly looked up at him to find he wasn't smirking, just sitting there looking normal and like he hadn't said anything heartbreaking, no. Nothing like that. "W-what?" she asked. This escalated quickly. They were just talking about . . . He couldn't . . . "Are we done or something?"

"Guess so."

"Wait what?" she asked, hating her voice for being strained as she tried to squirm out of his grasp, but he held firm.

"Well, I mean, yeah. If you really want to."

"I never-"

"You just did. Literally."

She rose a brow at him and tried to ignore how dry her throat was and that panging feeling in her chest. "I-"

"Do you want to go out?" Keefe asked suddenly, a smirk on his lips.

Sophie was beyond confused.

She wiped her face to competely dry the old tear stains. "I don't get this. What are you doing? You just said we were through, but before that you were saying you'd never leave me, and now you're asking me out?"

He laughed. "I said I'd go out with my ex. If we ever broke up, _you'd_ be my ex."

Realisation dawned upon Sophie and she let out a breath of relief, burying her face gratefully in his chest as she hugged him and he chuckled, kissing the back of her head. "Oh, Foster, what am I going to do with you?"

She shrugged. "I don't care," she whispered. "Just don't leave." As soon as she uttered the words, the familiar oang in her chest was back at the thoughts.

He massaged her back and kissed her head repeatedly before pulling her up more so that their faces were at the same level. "You trust me?"

She swallowed thickly as her eyes shimmered with tears. "Ye-"

He subtly planted his lips to hers and Sophie immediately sank into the warm blissful atmosphere she was given, the rest of her reply completely forgotten. She put her hand on one side of his face, kind of like cupping his cheek, but she was more on his jawline.

She relished and longed for times like these where they were alone and could just be themselves around one another without getting teased about the whole kissing ordeal.

Sophie wrapped her legs around Keefe's hips and smiled at the thought of people seeing the two right now. Keefe broke apart from her and gave a laugh. "Whatcha smilin' about, baby?" he asked before he swooped back in and continued to kiss.

"Y-you," she managed to answer between kisses.

"Hmmm?"

"Yeah."

He paused in his kissing again and smiled. "I love you."

She blushed. "I love you, too."


	32. -Goodbye Forever?-

**Hey guys.**

 **Really sorry this isn't an update . . . .**

 **But I have something very important to tell you. I think I'm going to have to leave fanfiction forever, or at least a loooooooooong time.**

 **My account was figured out . . . And let's just say the results were . . . brutal in ways I would not like to mention.**

 **I love you all and am pleased to have gotten to call some of you my friends.**

 **Goodbye.**

 **xoxoxox P-M**


	33. -SABRINA IS HERE TO HELP YOOOOOUUUU-

**guess what?**

 **Ok, so, hey guys!**

 **My name is Sabrina and I am one of Moony's friends. Since moony can no longer post, she'll be sending me her drafts and everything so then I can post them. You will still hear from her and you will still get her stories, so don't worry!**

 **This account technically doesn't belong to her anymore, but she will still communicate to you.**

 **Also, we started facetiming and she checked her inbox on her computer at the time, and he started crying when she saw all your thoughtful reviews, and then we led to this compromise.**

 **LONG LIVE MY MOONY AND HER FAITHFUL FRIENDS**


	34. -Please Read! AN!-

**Sabrina: AW FRICKLE FRACKLE SOMEONE'S PLAGIARIZING MOONy'S STORY GREEEEEEEAAAAAT. GOSH. AND THEY HAVE MY FIRST NAME IN THEIR TITLE OR USERNAME OR WHATEVER OH GOODNESS.**

* * *

 **Project-Moonlark: Yeah, so, me and Sabrina decided to do these separate things where we both talk to you guys.**

 **Ok, some people have been unclear about what's happening with my account, so I'll try to clarify.**

 **I am still the one writing these chapters and everything, but I am not th one posting them. I send them to Sabrina and then she posts them, since I have her my account password as all that jazz. K? K.**

 **Also...**

 **I've been told about the whole plagiarism thing...**

 **I am sad, but...**

 **Just, uh, hope it gets taken down, I guess.**

 **I don't know.**

 **I kinda have something bigger going on in my life rn that I have to worry about (which I still have not decided if I should tell you about), but I guess I'm still sad.**

 **Haha, well...**

 **Yeah.**

 **Sorry this isn't an actual update :(**

 **I feel reeeeeeaaaaally bad, but I PROMISE you I'm working on this story, along with my other ones! I'm working on a couple new ones, too!**

 **Love you**

 **~Moony3~**


	35. -15-

**When u only just realise, as of now, ur a year older. Whooops.**

 **#15**

 **5/9/17**


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